Slave Love
by toobeauty
Summary: Alexander finds himself with a slave and many problems ...
1. Prologue

_**TITLE: "Slave Love"**_

PAIRING: Hephaestion and Alexander. Many OCCs.

 **RATING: R to NC-17.**

CATEGORY: Historical AU.

DISCLAIMER: I do not know the people involved, no harm intended, everything is the product of my imagination, but I would not mind sharing my life with the blue-eyed god.

 **WARNINGS: Characters do not have their usual behaviour so don't expect they would behave as you like.**

NO BETA so all mistakes are mine.

FEEDBACK: comments are love! Yes, please any kind of them will help me to improve my writing or leave it forever.

 _Author's note: This is a_ _ **very Alternative Universe**_ _where a new kingdom was created for the purpose of this plot. Alexander has many features and characteristics similar to the ones of the historical character we know and adore but many others are different and were simply created to fulfil my crazy plot._

* * *

 _ **PROLOGUE.**_

There was no greater pain than loving someone so deeply and being unrequited. The young blonde king had loved the blue-eyed young brunette for ages and even though they had a constant sexual relationship, there was no love in it. Every time that the Macedonian King took the brunette, the young slave waited until Alexander's release, and immediately after, he would leave the double bed and go back to the tiny cot in an even smaller room, with his eyes teary and his heart heavy.

Other times, the King had gone to the slave's own room, but the result had been exactly the same.

Alexander had found him, more than once, with dry tear tracks on his handsome face and it had been difficult not to listen to the whispered string of "why why why" that left the brunette's lips during their intercourse.

Alexander had never been a slave of his body and its carnal needs but he could not explain why he needed to brand his personal slave and to make him understand that he belonged to him, even if the brunette did not like it at all.

Alexander could neither understand why the brunette could not accept and enjoy his love nor why he resisted every attempt of being loved by the powerful Macedonian king who would give him the world if he just asked for it.

However, the young slave remained impassive, receiving the blonde ruler inside his body and never rejecting him but hating and feeling disgusted by his own body that, after so many years, continued betraying him.

Alexander was never rude to him, he treated him as a companion; he was even faithful to him but those gentle gestures did not make things more pleasant before the eyes of the brunette.

Alexander did not want to feel heartbroken any longer, he wanted to feel loved by his brunette; it really did not matter to him if he was the heir of a defeated kingdom or just a slave…

The young man looked at his master from the corner of his eye and sighed deeply; sometimes it was hard not to feel guilty; the slave knew he was the one who had put, once again, that sad expression in the royal mismatched eyes with his continuous rejection.

However, he could not help it, he would never be what the young blonde conqueror wanted; he could not be his lover because there was no love between them, just possession and hate.

He could not love Alexander, however, the brunette knew, deep down inside his heart, that that was a big lie; he had been in love with Alexander for ages, even before they met for real.

He had always dreamt of meeting the Macedonian king in the small but happy palace or just being a guest of honour in Harmony. Unfortunately, their first encounter had been quite different to the one he had dreamed about and the result had also been even more different than the one he had ever thought it was possible.

The slave lifted his gaze and saw the King leaving, with a sated body but with an unhappy heart and even though he shouldn't care; the young slave felt his heart break a little bit … once again.

Some minutes later, the brunette let his cyan eyes wander around his tiny and spartan room and getting closer to the small window, he looked down to the city that he had never had the chance to visit in spite of having lived in it for the last three years.

The slave sighed against the barreled window and resting his forehead on the cold metal, he prayed to his gods who seemed to have forgotten him.

He knew he could not surrender to the young king because he would be betraying his own family but, by rejecting him, he was betraying his own heart.

 **"A man can change his fortune but he can't change his heart"** his mother used to say.

Hephaestion, the slave, was no longer so sure about that.


	2. Teen years in Harmony

_**CHAPTER 1: Teen years in Harmony.**_

Hephaestion had never been a morning person, however, he knew his duties began early every morning so he realized that he needed to leave his bed. He would indulge himself just for a few minutes and remain in bed so he closed his cyan eyes and let the warm sun caress his well-toned body and golden skin. The rays of the morning sun heated his skin and he stirred like a cat beneath the silk sheets. His morning erection came to life with the soft caress of the fabric against it and the prince lazily took his hard problem in his right hand. A male and powerful name, that was not obviously his own, escaped from his clenched lips as soon as, after some strong strokes, he released the warm and pearly seed. A very satisfied and not at all embarrassed Hephaestion felt sated and in a very good mood. The previous night he had had a dream and it had been, once again, about the young Macedonian King. It seemed that the effects of that dream had lasted until the morning and his body knew how to express its happiness.

* * *

Hephaestion had fallen for his Xander, as he secretly called the Macedonian King in his mind, some years ago and if anyone asked him, he could say that he had loved the man since he had memory.

It did not matter to the young prince that Alexander was eight years older than him; he was always told that even though he was only 13 years old, he looked much older than that, not only because he was the proud owner of a slender but toned body but also because he was considered very mature by his own parents, his tutors and many of the Eldest.

* * *

Hephaestion was a very dedicated student and his vast knowledge about everything in his kingdom, as well as his natural sense of curiosity, had started at a very early age when he was just a child with five summers over his thin shoulders.

According to his tutors, he was a quick learner with a very sharp mind. He was intelligent but humble, he would share his knowledge with whoever asked him and he would never brag about his knowledge or quick thoughts. That attitude made his parents feel very proud of him. Hephaestion was also an avid reader and there were no books in the palace library that he had not read, except those who he was not ready enough to do it. The Eldest, always worried about their students' progress, especially the Harmonian heirs', had monitored his reading and discussed it with the young boy, to check his understanding. To their surprise; they had got a fresh point of view on many of them quite frequently and that had encouraged them to give Hephaestion more difficult texts to read and analyse.

Even though the young prince had a big and rich imagination, as any child of his short age, no one could say that he did not have both of his feet on the ground. As the royal couple shared everything with their children, Hephaestion was aware of the very few existing problems in his father's kingdom and he was always ready to suggest solutions, some of them had been quite interesting and innovative and the King had taken them into account more than once.

His parents and the Eldest listened to Hephaestion with respect; every inhabitant of the kingdom had the right to express their ideas freely, no matter if they were right or wrong, but they should always have a logical basis and be expressed with respect.

Being the youngest and the only boy of the three royal heirs, Hephaestion was spoiled rotten by his two elder sisters, who had treated him as if he were their child instead of their baby brother. The prince, however, had never taken advantage of that situation because he had a heart of gold, filled with innocence and goodwill.

* * *

Diodoros, Hephaestion's father, was a noble king who ruled the small kingdom of Harmony with a gentle and caring hand and based on three single principles or virtues: _**Truth, Service and Peace.**_ The inhabitants could choose between Service and Truth according to their own skills or likes and live their lives ruled by them.

Everybody respected their own principle and any of the many foreigners or travellers that visited the small kingdom could immediately and easily "breathe" and experience those principles, especially the common one for all of them that was Peace.

The Harmonians were always ready to help, that was why travellers were offered to stay in their own houses so they could also share their family lives and customs for as long as they decided to stay there.

Many of the Harmonians were scholars, who were in charge of the search for Truth. They were also the ones who taught those who had the required skills and the intention of becoming the seekers of the Truth. Few of them would be part of the Council of the Eldest who helped the king to reign.

The rest of the population worked the fertile lands of the kingdom or they produced the goods that the rest of the population used. Their main virtue was Service and it was highly appreciated and recognized not only by the Scholars but also by the ruling house that was always thankful for their effort and hard work. The cooperation between Truth and Service was a very close one and there was no competition between them.

Every single inhabitant of Harmony knew how to read and write, make calculations and speak in public. Poverty had been eradicated in their kingdom and richness was shared and enjoyed in its different concepts.

Everyone who visited Harmony felt amazed by the feeling of peacefulness they found all over the small kingdom. The king ruled with integrity and mercy, assisted by the council of the Eldest; however, any major decision would be also discussed with the representatives of the workers. Women were also listened and many times they had been the ones to find the best solutions.

Harmony did not have an army; in fact, there were no weapons and since the origins of the reigning house, it had never taken part in any war, not even in a simple battle or skirmish. It had never been invaded as the kingdom maintained good relationships with its neighbours.

The Harmonian king Diodoros had been called many times to settle confrontations between other territories and his intelligence, the high value of justice and service had solved all the problems, and due to his actions, the king had gained more respect. King Diodoros had been able to embrace and fuse Truth, Service and Peace, a unique but possible fact among Harmonians.

* * *

Only King Diodoros and his Queen and wife Annabeth, among the eldest inhabitants, remembered and knew that there had been a fourth virtue, _**Courage.**_ However, it had been left aside because King Diodoros had seen how it had corrupted many people during his childhood, his elder brother among them. His extreme devotion to Courage and its consequent recklessness had made him unstable and a daredevil, and in the name of Courage, he had dared to threaten their peace. The Eldest had tried to change his mind but they were unsuccessful. The young man decided to leave Harmony and find his own place in the world, where his Courage could be appreciated. However, streaks of bitterness and revenge stained his virtue and, little by little, it poisoned him, blackening his heart and soul, leading him to the dark side.

* * *

Young Hephaestion got up and walked towards the window and, opening the heavy drapes, he let the glorious sun enter his room. He looked carefully at the morning sky and he could identify the last star still twinkling in it. He sighed long and loudly and then walked back, towards the inner room to have his morning bath. He discovered a new comb, made of sandalwood and ivory, and the prince smiled. He had admired the object at the market the day before and complimented the artisan for such a nice and delicate work of art. He could have bought it but he already had one and it was still in good conditions. He would go and thank the man as soon as his breakfast was over.

Hephaestion washed his body carefully and blushed deeply when he realized that his stomach was sticky due to his recent morning activity. He let his mind wander to the man of his affection while thinking how it would be like to feel Alexander's hands and lips on his own. Feeling his young manhood getting hard again quite rapidly, he took some long and calming breathes and finished washing his body and hair. He then took his time combing his brunette shoulder-length hair which had entangled during his morning activity. He chuckled loudly as he felt his nether parts having a life of their own and decided to stop thinking about his crush.

He got dressed in a light-blue chiton and leather sandals. The weather was warm enough so he decided to leave the short cloak behind.

On his way to the dining room, he greeted the two maids that generally helped his mother in the place; both young women greeted him and he could hear them giggling and gossiping. Everybody found the young prince very handsome and following the truth rule, they were not shy to tell him what they thought about him, obviously with respect.

King Diodoros was already at the table, drinking a big cup of sweetened milk and he was listening carefully to a young farmer who was having his own cup of milk. The young man was describing his King a new breed of plant that, together with one of the scholars specialized in plants, had been able to discover and make it grow successfully under their careful supervision.

The king was thrilled with interest with the news and followed the conversation with enthusiasm, making the man varied and interesting questions, especially when the man told him that said plant seemed to have healing properties and many nutrients that would be able to help, especially the young children to develop into healthier youths.

The Harmonian King saw Hephaestion arrive but the brunette had stayed apart until his father asked him to accompany them. The prince approached and after greeting them with the same degree of respect, he sat down and listened avidly to the new discovery.

Hephaestion shyly asked the farmer if he could visit the farm to see the plant, make some drawings and include it in his botanic book along with all the information he could give him. The farmer accepted the prince's request proudly, offering to come back for him in the late afternoon. After that, the farmer greeted his king and prince and went back to his tasks, happy to have served his kingdom.

.

Some minutes later, soft footsteps were heard along the corridor and both men turned around and stood up when they were nearer. The queen was arriving and both men felt their hearts swell with love.

Annabeth was the sweetest woman in their kingdom, so much so that she was considered by many if not by the vast majority of their inhabitants, as the mother and carer of them all. It was very common to see her walking around the streets, visiting the different houses and asking and worrying about their well-being. It was also very common to see her surrounded by small children, holding her hands or just walking by her side but grabbing her clothes. She was always ready not only to give hugs and kisses as well as receive them but also to tell or read stories when she had free time.

.

Annabeth, as well as her two elder daughters, were the vivid exponent of their principle, they not only belonged to Service but also felt it in every single cell of their bodies. On the other hand, her youngest and only son, Hephaestion was the strongest exponent of Truth she had ever known, except her own husband.

Fortunately, her good King and husband had been able to adopt and embrace both principles for himself and King Diodoros had always been able to manage them very well and keep them balanced.

"Peace, Annabeth," the king greeted his wife and the true and only owner of his heart.

He leaned over and kissed her lips tenderly and with so much love and respect that that simple gesture made Hephaestion feel anxious to find soon the same kind of true and noble love his parents shared.

"Peace to you too, Diodoros, how are you today, on this bright and sunny morning? Is there anything I can do for you?" she offered amorously.

"Nothing, my dear, just being by your side makes me feel loved and complete. However, we would be honoured if you join us for breakfast" the king added and no one would have ever doubted that he had spoken the truth his own heart dictated him.

Annabeth turned round to greet her son, who she had not seen up to that moment, and when she did, she quickly realized what the young prince might be feeling due to the expression on his face.

"Peace, Hephaestion. Please, son, don't look at us with those sad eyes; love will come to you when you least expect it, it always comes when you are ready" she added and cupping his face between her small but warm hands, she kissed his cheek lovingly.

"Peace, Mother. I know, I know and I enjoy seeing your love blooming and growing with each passing day. Maybe if King Alexander decides to visit our kingdom one day …" the blue-eyed teen said and then sighed loudly as if his wish was one impossible to get.

After a minute or two, the good King approached his son and setting his hand on his arm, told him,

"Hephaestion, I don't think the Macedonian King is a wise choice. My son, that man is full of courage" Diodoros added and only his wife could see the twitch in his eyes and fully understand what he meant by his statement.

Hephaestion thought for a little while and said,

"Yes, that is true, father, but he is also intelligent. He was tutored by Master Aristotle who is a seeker of Truth as you and me" Hephaestion said, trying to defend his crush.

"Yes, but in his younger years he was tutored by his father and Leonidas of Epirus, and everybody knows that victory but mainly courage was the most important virtue for them," Diodoros said.

"I know that but I am sure that he can balance both virtues as you do" Hephaestion replied almost in a whisper and then he remained in silence but he still could hear his father whispering that he would never have courage as a virtue.

Watching the awkward scene between her two favourite men, Annabeth decided to help them to get over that by offering them a distraction.

"Well, I will bring the things for breakfast" she announced.

"Please, Mother, take a seat and let me do it," Hephaestion said and immediately stood up and fetched the extra goblet, plate and cutterly for his mother.

Annabeth looked at her son and asked being unable to hide the happiness in her tone of voice,

"Is there a budding trace of Service I can see?"

It was not very frequent that his son offered to do something for someone else so quickly; he had never been a lazy person but his mind had always been more active and quicker than his hands and feet.

Hephaestion stopped his movements and turned round to answer to his mother,

"Maybe … maybe I want both virtues and if the gods help me, I could embrace them both as Father did" the young prince explained and locked eyes with his mother; eyes that told her that the young teen was seriously giving a good thought.

"That would be wonderful, son, but remember that you should never force it. Peace and Truth are already your virtues and even though you're still young, you have already shown good signs on both of them" the queen added, feeling very proud of her youngest child.

"Thanks, mother. I will remember that. By the way, where are my sisters? Are they joining us for breakfast? I haven't seen or heard them yet" he asked curiously as his sisters were early risers as every Harmonian.

"They left very early this morning, before dawn to help a woman with three small children" she explained while serving the morning food on her men's plates.

"Why doesn't her husband help her? Or is she a widow?" King Diodoros asked after thanking and taking his plate from his wife's hands.

"Her husband broke a leg while he was helping his neighbour to repair his roof. They have lands to sow and even though this neighbour and others are helping her, they also have their own lands and the time to sow is now" Annabeth explained.

"So, are my sisters working on the land?" Hephaestion asked not surprised at all if he heard a positive answer.

"No, the woman is doing that as she used to help her husband and already knows how to do it. Your sisters are looking after the three children and the husband. The eldest child is taking care of the easiest house chores" Annabeth explained and both men could hear the pride in her words.

"Is the man going to be fine?" Hephaestion asked, after taking a bite of the warm bread roll.

"He assured me yesterday when I went to see him that he was already on the mending but he won't be able to move soon. He also explained to me that he had exchanged his tasks with his wife's house chores so he is the one in charge of cleaning the wool and seeds" she said and could not hide her smile.

"Was that your wicked smile I have just seen, my dear?" king Diodoros asked playfully.

"No, my king. How could you think that? But … maybe, the husband will appreciate his wife a bit more after doing her tasks" Annabeth said.

"Mother!" Hephaestion said and laughed loudly, filling the dining room with happy sounds.

The three of them finished their breakfast and then went to do their own chores, promising to get together again to have lunch. Annabeth, however, apologized in advance, because she was going to take some lunch for her daughters and the family in need. Both men looked at the queen's retreating back and wondered how she did to keep so much love in such small body.

Hephaestion remembered to go to the market and thanked the artisan for his new comb and the man could not believe that the young prince had taken time of his more important activities to go and thank him. The owners of the other market stalls saw with pride that Hephaestion would be a fine King after his sisters.

Later that afternoon, the farmer came to pick up Hephaestion and take him to the farm. Both of them walked all the way there speaking about other plants and herbs and the farmer was surprised at the vast knowledge of his prince.

The scholar was already waiting for them and the three of them spoke for a long time about the new breed and the two men gave Hephaestion all the information they got about it. The young prince drew the new plant in his botanic book, putting special attention even up to the smallest details. He also wrote down all that he had listened about it before, promising to keep it update whenever they found anything new.

The farmer invited both men to stay for dinner and both of them gladly accepted. Hephaestion complimented the farmer's wife for the delicious food and even dared to ask for the recipe. The prince went back to the small palace and found his family talking about their activities. His sisters immediately offered him a seat and a cup of sweetened milk an asked about his activities and the new discovery.

The lives of the five members of the royal family went on peacefully as well as the lives of every Harmonian.

Unfortunately, they did not know that in the near future, their small and peaceful kingdom was about to suffer an unexpected attack, commanded by the most powerful King of their time and his unbeatable Army.


	3. Adult years in HArmony

_**CHAPTER 2: Adult years in Harmony.**_

Hephaestion was no longer a boy but a young man. At sixteen, every Harmonian was considered an adult and today was the prince's turn. The inhabitants who had embraced Service had asked King Diodoros if they could offer a banquet in honour of their prince and future heir. The king was delighted with the idea and promised to help them with the preparations.

More and more Harmonians, especially those who had chosen Service, had seen with happiness how the young prince, during the course of the previous year, had started and finally embraced that noble virtue. Like his mother and elder sisters, Hephaestion was so dedicated to help and serve other people that sometimes it had brought serious consequences for this own health. Nobody would forget that time when young Hephaestion was so extremely ill after helping a family who had been affected by a strange kind of flu that many thought he would die. This banquet was a small gesture of the admiration and love they felt for the young prince and his heart of gold.

Hephaestion woke up that special day early as any other, however, the inner turmoil of his body showed him that it wasn't just another day; it was the day when his childhood and teen years were left behind to become an adult with all the rights and duties a Harmonian had. He knew that big changes were about to happen and that his life would start having a more defined shape. Even though he knew he was ready for this new challenge, he could not hide his anxiety so he tried to calm down his nerves and spend the day quietly until he was called by the Elders to give his promise.

By noon, while he was quietly reading in his own chamber, a messenger came and handed him a scroll, not a common one but the one written on that hue of blue that only meant it was an official document. Hephaestion thanked the messenger and read the paper, even though he already knew the exact words written on it.

He took a short bath, combed his hair, changed his chiton by the official night blue one and left his chamber. As soon as he crossed the door, he found his parents and sisters waiting for him and then the five of them walked together to the Elders' Council where the old wise men were already expecting him.

A deep silence invaded the place in spite of being crowded, every single Harmonian was there, and Hephaestion walked slowly up to the middle of the room and stood opposite the seven old men who looked at him with pride and hope on their noble faces. Hephaestion relaxed a bit at their encouraging attitude and so, after taking his vows with a strong and clear voice and, to the surprise to all the people there, he promised to do up to the impossible to embrace the three virtues as his father and king had done before.

When his last word was uttered, a roar of claps filled the old and big room and cheers with his name were also chanted by the happy Harmonians. Most of the people approached to greet the new adult Hephaestion and the young man had words of gratitude for each of them.

After the ceremony was over, the royal family retreated to their own house and spent their lunch together, while Hephaestion tolerated his sisters fluttering around and serving him more than it was usual.

The excitement of the day finally caught him up and he asked his parents if he could retire for a short rest.

"You are an adult person now, Hephaestion, you don't have to ask for permission" King Diodoros replied while smiling.

Hephaestion smiled back at him and went to his own chamber where he let himself fall onto the bed and close his eyes while he remembered the emotions felt during the day. What the prince did not know was that another surprise was waiting for him.

Two or three hours later, a still sleepy Hephaestion got up and went to his window to see where that growing noise of laughter and chatting was coming from. He saw some people playing their musical instruments while men were setting long tables outside the palace. Women and children were coming and going, bringing dishes with food and sweet treats and putting them on the tables. The very same king and some servants of the palace were also bringing a crate of wine to those same tables.

Hephaestion was a bit confused but a knock on his door and a polite "May I come in, son?" brought him back and announced the arrival of his queen and mother.

He quickly opened the door and invited her in, leading her to the most comfortable chair in his room. Annabeth looked at her son and could not help feeling proud. Her son was 16 and he was an adult in front of the whole kingdom.

Hephaestion was a very handsome man; he was quite tall with a strong frame but not too muscled. He was the owner of a slender waist and a broad chest, big hands with long fingers, strong legs and steady feet but it was his face the feature that everybody looked at first, a strong chin, thin pinkish lips, a turned-up nose, high cheekbones, bushy eyebrows, a wide forehead, a long brunette mane that reached the end of his shoulder blades and eyes like no others, big, almond-shaped guarded by long eyelashes for a man and black as ink, framing those cyan eyes that burned with equal measure of kindness and intelligence.

"Mother, is there anything I can do for you?" he asked, looking at his mother with love.

"Yes, my dear. You can accompany downstairs and see what is happening outside" she said calmly, trying to hide the surprise.

Mother and son, hand in hand, went to the street and were immediately received with a closed round of applause and happy cheers.

"What is this, mother? What is going on?" he asked, discovering his father and sisters among the rest of the Harmonians.

"You are 16 today, Hephaestion and we are celebrating!" Annabeth said and then kissed him on the cheek.

The prince was so surprised that he could not say a word, he looked at all the people and, for the first time he let his heart rule over his brain and he cried some happy tears.

Lots of Harmonians greeted him again and he was offered food, drinks and many gifts. They all enjoyed the banquet and the music, and their happiness was so contagious that they ended the celebration singing and dancing until the wee hours of the morning.

Hephaestion could not be happier and he knew that only good things were to come.

From that day onwards, Hephaestion took his studies more and more seriously and he could be sitting, reading and studying for long hours. His knowledge about his former crush had also got deeper and deeper as he had tried to get any kind of information about him; he had left behind his childhood infatuation and it had turned into something more serious and stronger. It had turned into true love because Hephaestion had been able to see how Alexander had become a true example of a good warrior and a fair ruler.

Hephaestion was not well versed in the art of war but he knew that Alexander was a true fighter, sensitive with the conquered peoples' rights because he wanted not only to share the Greek culture with them but also fusion his own with the new cultures and customs he had encountered in his long travels.

However, Hephaestion had stopped speaking aloud about the Macedonian king because he had realized that his father got a bit agitated whenever he mentioned him and that his mother's eyes also looked with worry and sadness at her husband.

His silence did not mean at all that Hephaestion's feelings for Alexander had changed a bit; in fact, his dreams had been more and more vivid, bordering on the erotic field. In his dreams, Alexander was a kind man who liked to listen to Hephaestion's voice for hours and then, when the king took him to his royal chamber, he feasted on Hephaestion's body and made love to him all night long and each of the single nights spent together.

Hephaestion's dreams were so vivid that he could almost swear that he could feel the blonde king's hands caressing his body, his royal manhood branding him as if he were his owner while soft but strong lips covered him in tempting and caring kisses all over his naked and warm skin.

More than once, the young adult of 16 summers had come in his sleep and then felt sated as if Alexander had spent the whole night with him for real.

Due to his deep love for the Macedonian ruler, Hephaestion did not have eyes for anyone, neither man nor woman could catch his attention and his parents had begun to worry up to the point to feel desperate. His sisters were already engaged to marry in the following springtime but it would be Hephaestion's heir the one to hold the crown after Hephaestion.

In spite of his studies, following his previous vow to the Harmonians, he had become more and more obliging and his heart more and more committed to making other people's lives easier. Hephaestion was blind to his own needs and always put the others' feelings and necessities first, becoming so anxious to please and help that his mother feared he could become too sycophantic.

Diodoros was also worried about Hephaestion but he knew that the young prince would be able to take the correct decision when he had the need to do it, he was almost sure that his brain would always rule over his heart. Time would prove Diodoros wrong but he would not be able to see it.

Alexander's numerous victories were on the rise and that made Diodoros and Annabeth get more and more nervous. They knew that the Macedonian king would not find the kingdom of Harmony as interesting as the rest of the lands he had been conquering but unfortunately, along with the news of his victories and the expansion of the Macedonian kingdom, they also heard a name that they had tried to forget a long time ago; a name that made the king's skin creep and the queen pray to her gods much more than usual and asking them for their protection.

That so feared name belonged to a man with a dark soul; a man who had been ready to put Harmony in danger and had dared to defy the former king, a man who shared the same blood and the family name as king Diodoros; a man who was the last and living exponent of a virtue that had been banished thirty years ago.

That man was Diodoros's brother and the only Harmonian who had embraced Courage but denied Peace, becoming the only warrior in a kingdom without weapons; a fighter surrounded by peaceful and obliging people; a resented man who had abandoned his house because his heart was full of anger and hate.

Philoares had wandered around for a whole year after leaving his land until he had settled in a northern kingdom, living among farmers, like a wolf among sheep, waiting quietly until the right moment appeared so he could embrace his true nature.

He travelled further north and he saved the life of a man who had been thrown of his horse during a boar hunt. The man thanked him by inviting to his court and it was like that that Philoares became a soldier in the Macedonian army under King Phillip's command and then when the king was murdered, he became one of Alexander's highest ranked officers.

Philoares was a man who knew how to fight; he was courageous and intelligent but he had also perfectioned the subtle art of deception. Anyone who knew him was only able to see one side of his personality while his enemies or those who dared to defy him, had seen the other side, the one which unleashed all his wrath and evilness; the one side that had promised to find a way to take his revenge on Harmony.

This courageous man felt that his time was near; he only had to put his plan into action and then enjoy the results. He would bring his brother to his knees, he would make him suffer and he would definitely take away everything that was precious to him, his wife, and his two daughters … his kingdom.

Quietly and very subtlety, Philoares started to spread false rumours about the peaceful kingdom of Harmony and, little by little, throughout the last five years. He had found a willing listener to his ideas. He had let Alexander know that people from Harmony had come to him in secret, in the dead of night, looking for his help. Those Harmonians had told Philoares that the current king was not following the principles on which the kingdom had been founded and that its inhabitants were suffering the consequences of his ruthless actions. The resentful officer had also made Alexander believe that king Diodoros was forming an Army and that most of the population were being trained as military men while the rest of them, women and children included, were forging swords and many other kinds of deadly weapons, all done in the deepest secrecy.

The young Macedonian king Alexander could not believe what he had been revealed; Harmony, the most pacifist kingdom of his times, could not be doing that because it would be violating the essence of its creation, to be a neutral kingdom, to be a place of peace, study and service. Alexander had learnt about the Harmonians through his wise tutor Aristotle, who, in spite of not being born Harmonian, was considered one due to his intense search of truth and his vast knowledge on many subjects. Aristotle had transmitted his admiration for this people to Alexander who had always admired them and had promised himself to pay a visit to them as soon as his main conquests were over. He would be able to learn there how to keep all those different peoples under his command in peace and also educate them to get the best of each of them.

However, after that so grim news, Alexander realized that he had no time to lose, he would go and freed the Harmonian of their oppressive king as soon as he corroborated those evil rumours or in the case that people of the former peaceful kingdom came to look for his help.

A full year went by until Alexander took the decision to invade Harmony and liberate its inhabitants of the cruel royal family. As months went by, he had discovered that not only king Diodoros was cruel to his own people but also his wife and daughters. Lately, he had more annoying news, the king happened to have a third child, a young boy of 17 years who was not only the lawful heir but also the true mastermind behind the whole thing.

Philoares had not known about the existence of Hephaestion until a month ago, when one of his men, who had entered Harmony as a traveler, had seen the young and handsome man; the traitor thought that he might keep him as his lover just to make his brother suffer, no matter if Hephaestion was his true and blood nephew.

Having that latest news, Alexander decided not to delay the invasion so the whole incursion was planned in advance and then, he took a thousand of his best men under his command and began the short journey.

Alexander and his men arrived at dawn and they were immediately surprised when they did not find the tall walls surrounding the place as they had been told. Alexander thought that the sneaky king might probably have built them around the royal place to protect himself and his own family.

The noise made by the thousand Macedonian men woke up the sleeping population and chaos was unleashed as soon as they went out to the streets. Women and children were running, escaping from their houses on fire while the men looked around for something to use in their defence.

Philoares and his men went directly to the palace that was just a little bigger construction than the rest. He entered the master chamber running and found Diodoros and Annabeth getting dressed. He sent his men in search of the rest of the family and he remained in the room looking at the man who had taken everything from him. Philoares had been deeply in love with Annabeth but the young beautiful lady had never shown the minimum interest on him; she had only had eyes for his brother and had kindly rejected him when he declared his love. Her rejection hurt Philoares deeply and he swore to get his revenge, which got bitterer when Diodoros and Annabeth got married. Both of them would suffer deeply, both of them would regret having denied Philoares what he had desired.

The Macedonian officer asked two of his strongest men to hold king Diodoros tightly and the Harmonian king watched with despair how his own brother rape and then kill with a sharp sword the love of his life in front of him while the other men in the room did exactly the same to his sweet daughters. The three women lay there on the floor, almost lifeless as if they were marionettes who had their strings cut.

Blood was everywhere, staining the walls and spreading onto the marble floor as if it were a flow of water. When the screams and the last death rattles finally stopped, Philoares approached his brother and asked:

"Where's the boy, brother?"

His voice was hoarse due to his anger and his brother's wife's blood was still dripping off his hands.

"I will never tell you. How could you murder my family? What had they done to deserve your wrath?" he asked in a whisper.

Then King Diodoros fell to his knees and crawled towards his wife and daughters' corpses, cradling them in his shaking arms. Loud screams fell from his lips and a string of "Sorry, my beloveds" was heard in the deadly silence.

Philoares got closer to him; he was about to get his revenge and he could not hide his euphoria any longer. He stood tall near his fallen brother and shouted:

"Because you took everything from me; I am just only paying you back" and with a single swing of his sharp sword, Philoares beheaded Diodoros and saw with happiness his head roll along the floor.

His crazy laughter could be heard loud and clear and in that same moment, he took the decision of abandoning the Macedonian army because he had had his revenge and he also knew that Alexander would punish him and even kill him as soon as he realized that he had been set up to attack the quiet kingdom and used for his General's own and selfish purposes.

Meanwhile, silence invaded the small kingdom and low sobs were heard here and there. Alexander, with the bare sword in his hand, dripping blood on the street, saw with astonishment and horror what he had commanded his men to do; they had set fire to the whole kingdom and many Harmonians, unable to escape, had lost their lives. The young king had stopped the attack when he realized that the Harmonians were not fighting them back because they did not know how or what to use because there was neither an army nor weapons in the whole place.

Unfortunately, his orders had arrived late to the furthest spots and many innocent lives were lost at his soldiers' hands.

A bleeding old woman, mortally wounded, touched his foot and with a thread of voice pleaded:

"Please, help my king and his family; the palace is on fire"

"How could you ask me that? He treats you like slaves. Why do you want me to help them?" Alexander asked surprised at her request.

The woman coughed up some blood and Alexander knelt by her side to clean her wrinkled face.

"Slaves? Our king and Queen love us too much; they would die for any of us. Please, I will be here, waiting for you so you can kill me if I lie but save them first" she said and coughed some more.

"All right. Now tell me where the royal palace is" Alexander asked, looking for a tall and majestic building without finding it.

"Just there, in front of you, sire" she whispered.

"But that is a house" he exclaimed while seeing that it was slightly higher and bigger than the rest.

"What were you expecting, young man? Please, do this favour to a dying woman and I will ask the gods to forgive you. Go and help them, I saw the king's brother entering the place and he had always been a bad seed, a true disgrace to his family and our Harmony" she said between coughs.

"Who is that man?" Alexander asked while taking off his cloak and covering the woman with it, putting her a bit more comfortable even though he knew she had no much longer.

"He is one of the men wearing your colours, sir. He is Philoares, even his name suits him" she whispered and then just fell in silence.

The king felt his heart shatter inside his feet. He had believed in that man since the moment his father had told him how he had saved his life. However, Alexander realized that everything had been a trick, an evil and mastered idea to get his own revenge and make him look like the guilty one.

He ran towards the house as fast as he could. The smell of blood almost made him vomit but he did not care and continued running up the stairs. He searched every room but the bloodied tracks of footprints led him to the right place. He had arrived too late to keep his promise to the old lady. The four members of the royal family were lying on the floor already dead and cooling. He saw the bloodshed and felt disgusted, moreover when he discovered many of his own men lying there too. He went from one corpse to the other, checking them but they could only confirm what his eyes had already seen.

He could hear heavy and fast footsteps running up the stairs; he took his sword tight in his hand but let it fall as soon as he saw more of his own men with the same sad and repentant look in their eyes.

He looked at them and shouted:

"Look for the boy, there must be another corpse somewhere. When you find him, bring him here. We will bury them together as they deserve"

After he gave his orders, Alexander started to look for his missing and treacherous General. If Alexander's suspicion were right, Philoares was the true killer of the whole royal family and he would be the one to punish him with death for lying to him and setting him up with lies and rumours.

An hour had gone by and Philoares could not be found among the Macedonian soldiers and some of Alexander's companions realized that there were five or six more men missing, men who had served under the traitor's command. What worried him the most was that the Harmonian heir had not been found so Alexander decided to organize his men in different groups with specific tasks to help the Harmonians; some would put out the fire in the houses, others would take care of the wounded and others would give the dead the respect they deserved by making the funerary pyres.

While the very same king controlled the different groups, he asked his most trusted companions the search of the heir and he also asked them to bring him to his presence as soon as he was found.

Hephaestion was finally found, fainted and half -trapped under a still smoking roof that used to belong to a temple or something like that, in the outskirts of the city. Cleitus knew the wounded man was him because he remembered listening that the Harmonian heir was a true beauty. His mind went further ahead and maybe he could ask Alexander to let him become his erastes when all this mess was over.

He knelt by his side and set his fingers on his neck. A weak but steady beat could be felt so he took the slender young man in his arms with extreme care and walked back towards the palace. On his way there, Cleitus saw Hephaestion's eyes move and open to close seconds later. He tried to talk to him, with a quiet and calm tone of voice, telling him that he was safe, that there was no need to be afraid of him and that king Alexander was waiting for him. Hephaestion opened his eyes once again and kept them open for a little while longer than before and so the strong Macedonian warrior could confirm that the rumours were true, the boy's eyes were like two pools of the Aegean Sea and they showed peace and service in them.

"Thank you, General," Hephaestion said between coughs, his lungs still suffering from the smoke he had inhaled during the fire inside the temple.

"You are welcome, boy," Cleitus said and smiled.

"I am no longer a boy, I am 17, I became an adult last year" Hephaestion replied seriously.

"Oh, I see, but you look much younger than 17 and I am already 36" Cleitus answered.

"You can now put me down, I am feeling good enough to walk all by myself," Hephaestion asked.

Cleitus lowered him and he could see that in spite of the slender body, he was quite tall and strong. Both men continued walking slowly but when they were getting closer to the palace, Hephaestion could see the destruction of the place that used to be his home so he started to run towards it, terribly worried about his family's safety. He would check on the rest of the inhabitants as soon as he saw to his own relatives.

He entered the place running and took the stairs quickly, following the bloodied tracks to the main chamber. As soon as he entered the room, he saw Alexander standing tall and majestic, with his bloodied sword still in his right hand, standing by Hephaestion's dead family. Alexander lifted his gaze and smiled at the newcomer, relieved to see that he had been able to survive the massacre. However, the young blue-eyed man after seeing that smile on the young king's face, he did no longer see anything else but red and without revealing his true intention, he got closer to the Macedonian king and on his way, he snatched the sword of the soldier next to him and charged against Alexander, aiming to sink the sword into the king's chest. Even though Alexander heard the noise, he did it a bit late so when he lifted his head again, he received a long and quite deep slash on his chest, over his heart.

Alexander fell to the floor and lost consciousness due to the strong strike and the hit of his head against the marble floor. The big loss of blood, running freely out of his chest did not help at all.

Hephaestion was immediately thrown to the floor, the sword kicked out of his hand and then hit quite viciously by the king's men. He was totally unresponsive and nearly dead; Cleitus dragged him along the rooms and finally threw him inside, locking the door and keeping the key among his things.

Having that done, Cleitus immediately called for the local doctor. The shaking young man arrived within minutes and immediately ordered to take Alexander to a bed so he could see to his wounds properly. He cleaned every inch of the royal skin carefully and thoroughly in order to avoid any kind of infection. When he was sure that everything was as perfectly clean as he could desire, he proceeded to stitch the long and deep cut, taking advantage that Alexander was still unconscious.

He finished his delicate task and taking a soft but warm blanket; he covered Alexander and set a soft pillow under his head. He also brought a glass of clean water and some bottles of medicine to be ready for the moment when the king opened his eyes. He then sat by his side to wait.

After a pregnant silence, he asked how that had happened to the king as any Harmonians had weapons and he would not believe that any of his own men could have done that.

Cleitus explained that Hephaestion had been the responsible of such brutal attack and that he would be punished with death for attacking the Macedonian king as soon as Alexander was fine to see to the punishment.

The good doctor, who was adjusting the sheets onto Alexander's body, stopped his ministrations and looked at Cleitus with astonishment. Seconds later, he told Cleitus that their heir was the most peaceful man in their small kingdom and added that he must have confused him with someone else.

When Cleitus described Hephaestion with so many details, the good doctor did not have any doubt that Hephaestion had been the Macedonian king's attacker so he lowered his head and continued working and waiting in silence.

When he saw that Alexander had started to show slight movement, he asked one of the women to prepare the concoction with their special herb because they had lately discovered one more and useful advantage, this plant had the power to help in the healing and also to fasten the restoration of blood cells.

The afternoon sun was starting to move towards the west in the sky when Alexander opened his eyes again, seven to eight hours had gone by since his attack and he had been kept sedated all of them to rush his healing. When the sun finally set down, his men breathed loudly when they saw him sit on the bed, truly awake and conscious.

The good doctor explained slowly what he had done to him and also added that he needed to go on drinking that concoction for at least a week, he offered to prepare it for him or he could give him the seeds and the instructions so his own doctor could do it. Alexander looked at the man for a moment or two and then asked him to prepare it as he already knew how to do it. Alexander tried to sit better but the tight bandage around his chest prevented him from doing it.

The doctor rushed to his side and pleaded him to stay on his back; he also explained that the stitches were still fresh and his skin tender. He also added that he really did not want them to open again because stitching him back would be very painful now that he was fully awake.

Alexander did as the good doctor suggested and after taking some sips of the warm medicinal beverage, he asked the question that everybody was already expecting.

"Where is my attacker?" Alexander asked, looking around the room while searching for another patient.

"The former prince was locked in a chamber by one of your Generals, sire" the doctor answered.

"Why would he do that?" Alexander asked a bit surprised by the rough treatment.

"It was what he deserved after what he did to you" the man answered again.

"Was the Harmonian prince the young man that attacked me?" Alexander asked because he could not believe that possibility, maybe he had misheard the doctor as it seemed that his mind was still a bit foggy.

"Yes, sire" the doctor answered again and lowered his head, knowing that Hephaestion had lost all his privileges and rights as a Harmonian by disobeying his virtues.

"Bring him to me, please. I want to talk to him" Alexander asked and the doctor quickly left the room to do as he had been asked, not daring to go against the king's will.

When the Macedonian soldiers brought Hephaestion to Alexander's presence, the young prince could barely walk on his own; his eyes were so swollen due to the multiple punches on his face that he could not keep them open for a long period of time. His lips were also split and bloodied, and his chest, arms, lower stomach and legs were covered in dark bruises and several bleeding cuts due to the vicious hitting he had received along the day.

"What happened to him? He was fine when I saw him the last time" Alexander asked and, in spite of his pain, he sat down on the bed to have a better look at the battered and beaten heir.

"He tried to kill you and he would have managed to do it if his use of the sword had not been so lousy," Cleitus said and looked at the young man on the floor with disgust, kicking him once again.

"Please, stop it! Somebody help him, please!" Alexander also begged, not knowing why he wanted that done.

"But sire, he took a weapon and attacked you; he dared to hurt you badly. In spite of being royalty, he had lost all his privileges and the honour of calling himself a Harmonian" an old man, who was sitting on a chair in a dark corner, explained.

"But how can you say that? He surely thought I had killed his whole family" Alexander shouted, trying to make the people there understand what the young man might have thought at the sight of him surrounded by his murdered family.

A low sob escaped from the fallen man's lips but no one approached to help him. Seeing that, Alexander got out of the bed, wincing at the sudden move and walking slowly towards the former prince, he then knelt on the floor by his side and touched the man's shoulder.

A sudden shiver travelled along the young man's body, Alexander thought the prince was feeling cold, however, he would realize it was disgust and wrath what made him move away from him.

"Don't touch me, killer! Be a man and finish your work here. I have no longer anything to live for" Hephaestion demanded between clenched teeth and fits of cough.

"Please, let me explain. Your uncle Philoares killed your family. He was looking for revenge and he convinced me that your kingdom was preparing to go to war, violating your own principles" Alexander said and stopped speaking when the pain in his chest became stronger due to his agitated state.

"I don't have an uncle; my father was an only child so stop lying and making up convenient excuses," Hephaestion said.

"It is true; an old woman in the street recognized him and told me his name. She also asked me to save your family" Alexander stated with a firm tone of voice.

"It is not. Why would my father and mother lie to us? The king could not hide such information because it would go against one of his virtues" Hephaestion replied, almost in a whisper but still loud enough for Alexander to hear him.

"I will look for that old woman and bring her back to you. Maybe she can convince you with her own words" Alexander said more agitated than before because Hephaestion did not believe him.

A pang of acute pain ran along his chest and made Alexander moan loudly. The good Harmonian doctor rushed to his side and suggested him going back to bed to rest and gather his strength back.

"How much will you pay her to tell me your lies?" Hephaestion answered back and Cleitus could not help kicking him in the ribs once again.

"Cleitus stop it!" he ordered his General.

The big man took some steps back but he did not stop cursing the young man.

"I will command my men to look for that woman and bring her to my presence. No one calls me a liar. While we wait for her arrival, I want you to look at his wounds" Alexander said while lifting his gaze to look at the doctor and pointing with his finger at some of his men to start the search.

A pregnant silence invaded the room.

"I can't"

"He can't"

Both answers were heard at the same time and looking from the doctor to the prince with surprise in his mismatched eyes, the king asked why he could not follow his command.

"I lost all my privileges as a Harmonian and a free human being. I am an outcast. I denied my virtues by embracing the forbidden courage and I still want to harm you" Hephaestion explained and confessed due to his loyalty to Truth.

Looking at the doctor, Alexander asked:

"Please, take care of his many wounds and I promise that I would find an appropriate punishment for his attack on my person"

"I don't deserve punishment, I was only defending my family's honour and memory that was murdered without mercy by a man whose thirst for power and lands seems to have no end" Hephaestion stated and then coughed, spitting tiny specks of blood.

"Don't accuse me, boy, until you know and consider all the facts. Let's wait until we find that woman who would corroborate my story" Alexander said seriously and then he sent his men in her search after giving a detailed description of what he remembered of her.

Unfortunately, the woman had died due to a severe wound and no other person in the kingdom had ever heard the name of Philoares before.

An hour or so had gone by when Alexander's men came back bringing such bad news and so the Macedonian king could not prove his story. However, Hephaestion was still considered an outcast by his countrymen and his rights were still revoked but he could not be sentenced to death as Alexander could not prove what he had said.

Alexander saw Hephaestion still lying on the floor, badly battered, sad and angry; he could feel the young man's hostile feelings flowing from his body so he decided to find a solution by doing something he had never done before.

He walked up to the lying man and finding the necessary courage, he spoke out loud and clear:

"Hephaestion, you will keep your life but you will be my personal slave to serve me and only me for the rest of your natural life"

Silence once again invaded the room; however, some agitated low voices could be heard murmuring among the companions there.

"I would rather die than live under that condition" Hephaestion shouted with wrath in his croaked voice.

"I am a fair ruler so you don't have to feel afraid of me. You will be treated well but you have to promise to obey me and only me" Alexander announced, letting the idea settle inside his mind.

The Eldest, who had been summoned to the palace to see to the situation, spoke among them for a while. Then, the spokesperson of the group approached the Macedonian king and said:

"So that will be. Our former prince and heir to the Harmonian throne would be your life prisoner. I will act as the voice of our council for the last time and we have decided that the Harmonians would never be a kingdom again. We will leave this place and go somewhere else because nothing retains us here any longer"

The old man remained in silence for a little while and after giving a look showing his pain in his old eyes, he left the place and the rest of the former Council followed him.

The remaining five hundred Harmonians left the kingdom in the middle of the night and Hephaestion was taken back to Macedon as Alexander's personal slave. He was just 17 years old and even though he was still young, he knew that his life was already over.


	4. First Slave days in Macedon

**CHAPTER 3: First Slave days in Macedon.**

Hephaestion travelled quite cramped on a cart filled with provisions for the long journey back to Macedon. He had just a light blanket to cover his battered body and the cold of the nighttime had made all his pains worse. In addition to the cold, the bumps and zigzagging of the travel made no good to his two bruised ribs that finally snapped and broke, making it more difficult for him to breathe. His face showed the excruciating pain he was feeling but he received no help at all, he was a traitor to his own people and a dangerous man for the Macedonians.

Hephaestion, at 17, was a simple pariah, condemned to live in a kingdom that was not his own, under the caprice of a man who could do to him whatever he wanted. Hephaestion, whose passion for life was well known by everyone, had lost it forever. The young man only wanted to die so he could join his family in the afterlife. When that idea appeared in his mind, he immediately rejected it but after some hours of severe pain and loneliness, it became his only thought and so he decided to embrace his death wish and promised to himself to do up to the impossible to get it sooner than later.

The Army decided to stop for some hours to get supplies of fresh water and also to give their king some quality time to rest. While the pages were organizing a camp bed, some of the companions started to ask the Harmonians how many of them would follow up their king to Macedon and who were the ones that had decided to take a different path. Most of the Harmonians had decided to go in search of new lands; only the good doctor and some single farmers would follow Alexander as they did not have any ties at all.

As soon as Alexander was settled in the makeshift bed, he asked his page to bring him some red wine. The good doctor gave him some fresh water instead and then prepared the concoction. Alexander looked at him a bit upset but the man explained that the plant could lose some of its curative effects if it were mixed with wine. Alexander accepted the explanation because his wound was healing well and quicker than he had expected and, even though he knew that the slash would leave a big and noticeable scar, he did not care at all because he was not vain or worried about his physical appearance.

When the doctor finished assisting him, he was sent to check on Hephaestion but the man was hurried in his inspection and dismissed even quicker. The man did not insist, he knew he did not have the right to do it so, in his quick visit, he did not see that the bruises had a darker hue and that the former prince's breathing was much more laboured and in rapid short gasps. He did not realize either that his ribs were already broken or that his food and water had remained untouched.

When they finally arrived at the Macedonian palace, it was after midnight; and even though everybody was knackered, they immediately took care of their duties so they could all go to rest soon.

Alexander was taken to his chamber directly and after a brief visit of his own doctor, he was tucked into bed in spite of his loud protests. Doctor Philip did not want to hear him moaning so he administered a mild sedative in his last drink. Being already tired and with the rapid effect of the sedative, the blonde king forgot about everything and fell asleep as soon as his head touched the silk pillow.

The rest of the Companions forgot about their prisoner too so nobody realized that Hephaestion had not left the provisions cart he had been travelling in and it had been sent to the warehouse, waiting to be unloaded the following morning. Nobody thought about checking as everybody thought that the others had taken care of him.

The following morning, King Alexander woke up feeling much better, with his strength almost recovered and such a bubbling energy inside his body that he got up early and went directly to the small side chamber to check on his "forced guest". However, the room was empty; in fact, there was not the slightest sign that I had been occupied before.

Alexander called his page Eupolos and asked him if Hephaestion was being checked by any of the physicians. The dark-haired page looked at his king with surprise and immediately said that he had not seen the traitor at all. Alexander winced at the hard way of addressing the young man and told his page that the Harmonian prince had only tried to defend his family and that he had made a mistake, drove by his deep pain. Eupolos accepted the explanation and offed himself to look for him.

Thirty minutes later, Cleitus entered the royal chamber and saw Alexander pacing from one end to the other of his room.

\- "So has the doctor already seen him? What has he said?" the blonde king asked eager to know about the young man's condition.

\- "Who?" Cleitus asked, knowing that there was something he was not understanding.

\- "Hephaestion? The Harmonian prince?" Alexander asked exasperatedly.

\- "The good doctor left at the wee hours of this morning with two of the farmers in search of some lands up north. Even though he left your medicine for several days, he told me nothing about the traitor's condition" the General said.

\- "Well, what about our doctor?" Alexander asked, worried with every passing minute.

\- "That old man is still sleeping," Cleitus said and laughed loudly.

\- "Well, take me to him so I can see him with my own eyes and then we can decide what we will do with him," Alexander said, taking a cloak with him.

Cleitus stopped his walking and looked at Alexander with surprise in his dark eyes:

\- "My king, I thought the blow was to your chest and not to your head. You offered yourself to take him as your life slave because he became an outcast to his own people and you don't want to pass him through the sword in spite of his attack to your person" Cleitus said, refreshing the king's decision.

\- "I know, I know but I do understand him and I don't want to punish him more than he really deserved. He lost his whole family and kingdom all in one day; we can be more tolerant, don't you think?" Alexander asked.

\- "Alright, alright. I will go and investigate myself where he is but listen to me carefully if I find out that he has escaped or even tried, I'd kill him with my bare hands" Cleitus stated loud and clear.

\- "Don't you know where he is?" Alexander asked more worried than before.

\- "Why should I know? I had more important things to take care of last night" he replied and left.

\- "Bring him to me soon so I can decide what to do next" Alexander shouted trying to calm down himself as well as the angry General.

An hour later, running steps woke Alexander up. His page Eupolos was standing next to him, trying to get his attention.

\- "Sire, the boy is very ill. His skin is cold, bluish and when I touched him to wake him up, it seemed as if it were covered by scales. His lips are bluish too and his eyes seem bright less. I was afraid to touch him more but he looked as if he was dead" Eupolos said and he felt so nervous while giving his king the news that his knuckles were white.

\- "Where did you find him?" he asked.

\- "He was still on the cart inside the warehouse. His water was dirty and his food seemed to be off, but I don't think he had touched any of them" the page added, knowing that every word would make Alexander feel angrier.

\- "By Zeus's balls, he might be a slave but he still is a human being. Go and fetch the doctor" Alexander shouted at him angrily.

\- "I already did that. He must be going to see him at the moment" the page added.

\- "Where?" the king asked, already knowing the answer.

\- "Still on the cart", the young boy whispered.

\- "Bring him inside and set him in the chamber next to mine. I don't have to say you must do or bring anything the doctor tells you or asks you to do"

\- "Of course, Sire. I would do everything he commands me" Eupolos assured him.

Some minutes later, loud noises were heard inside the palace and then Alexander heard the loud and deep voice of his good Doctor shouting and more running footsteps coming and going along the corridors of the royal house.

Alexander got up and crossed his own room towards the smaller one, adjacent to his. He saw two of his guards laying the thin body onto the bare bed and his old doctor touching the young man's chest with extreme care. He turned round and seeing Cleitus, the doctor asked the General to help him turn the youth's body over, to one of his sides.

As soon as he was lying on that side, Hephaestion vomited gushes of thick black blood and his half-open eyes rolled backwards showing the whites of his eyes completely shot with bright red veins.

\- "I think two of his ribs are broken and they might have punctured one of his lungs. Apart from that, you can easily see he had been rudely beaten by big men with big hands and fists" the doctor added and his tone of voice showed his disgust.

\- "I didn't order any beating or punishment at all. Who did that?" Alexander asked in rage.

\- "Your men, sire, after your attack" one of the guards answered.

\- "But I didn't order that," Alexander said and got closer to have a better look.

\- "But that is the punishment for a traitor before their death" the second guard added.

\- "I know but we have already decided a different thing. He will not die, he will be under my personal service as we had already decided back in Harmony" Alexander stated loud and clear, once again. The memory of that day was coming back clearer to his mind.

\- "I will kill you whenever I have my first chance" Hephaestion whispered and every word he uttered made him feel his pain deeper.

\- "Why? I did not kill your family and I am trying really hard to keep you alive" Alexander said, trying to reason with the wounded man.

\- "You are lying again. YOU were the one who attacked my kingdom" Hephaestion said, spitting venom with each of the words that left his bloodied lips.

\- "But you were forging swords and violating your principles," Alexander said trying to justify his invasion but his voice revealed his own doubts after what he had learnt about Philoares.

No one knew where the young man took the strength from, but he propped onto one of his elbows and looking at the king of the known world with hate in his eyes, he whispered:

\- "Didn't you see my men running away instead of fighting your men? They were trying to protect or save their women and children" he said while spitting more blood and trying to drag more air into his damaged lungs.

He really wanted to go on speaking but a fit of coughs made it impossible for him to go on.

Doctor Phillip could no longer see his patient in such conditions so he sent everyone outside, the king included, because he wanted to check the young man over and see what he could do to the suffering boy. However, the king stayed behind because that man was his possession and he wanted to know what he needed to do to look after him.

Alexander had never had a slave before, even less personal ones; it was not a custom in his lands so he was completely in the dark as regards their duties or his treatment.

Phillip looked at Alexander and finally understood that the young Harmonian could not be in better hands as the young king was well-known for being a fair man and ruler.

The doctor cleaned the man with careful hands and after having checked his condition, he wrapped a soft piece of linen around Hephaestion's chest to immobilise his ribs so in that way he would try to prevent him from losing more blood. While he did this, the old man whispered soft and caring words in the young man's ear until he was much calmer.

Alexander remembered the herb that the Harmonian doctor had given him to recover from the blood loss and went back to his room to fetch it. When he came back, he saw the worried look in the doctor's face, the old man was preoccupied with the internal bleeding but he hoped that the youth's former good health would help him. He was happy to know that he could use that amazing herb to help the young man in his recovery.

The bruises started to get better after a few days; however, a very high fever broke up one day in the middle of the night. The brunette was still too weak and the good doctor feared that he would not make it through the night. The constant supervision and care of the young king helped the young Harmonian a lot, even though the young brunette did not realize who had been looking after him with so much dedication and so carefully because he had been delirious or unconscious most of the time since the fever appeared.

After all the slow nursing and when the doctor was almost sure that there was no more internal bleeding, he tapped Hephaestion's broken ribs as tight as the young man could tolerate and after the initial pain, it helped Hephaestion to breathe a bit better and also to feel more comfortable for the long period he would still be lying in bed. However, it took Hephaestion a whole month until he could breathe without feeling pain.

Hephaestion's bruises disappeared and the cuts healed and so Alexander could, for the first time, see how handsome Hephaestion was. The young king felt something weird inside his chest that squeezed his heart and then made it fluttered and then squeezed again.

He finally realized that Hephaestion was someone special and he could not help feeling something for the blue-eyed man lying on a bed so close to his own bed; but he did not want to fall for him, the brunette was a conquered man; a man who did not want to be in his palace or under his command; a Harmonian prince who only wanted the king very far away from him, a man who would never see him just as a simple man but as the one who had attacked his peaceful kingdom. Alexander realized that he'd better leave this blooming crush behind and move on.

During his recovery, Hephaestion's heart had had time to harden and he did not want to see any good in the man who had been his caretaker but most importantly, his crush for the last ten years.

At 17, Hephaestion was no longer a child but a man and, in spite of all the chaos and disaster, he felt that he was still a Harmonian at heart and so he would dedicate the rest of his life he had to look for the truth behind his family's deaths and to serve the blonde young King because he was just his slave but Alexander would never get anything else from him.

It took Hephaestion four whole months to recover fully; his ribs were healed but he still felt some pain whenever he took very deep or rapid breaths or if he had a fit of cough. His bruises had completely disappeared and his strength was almost totally restored. However, his mood and attitude had not got any better. He did not utter a single word except when he was commanded to do it, and as it was generally Alexander the one who ordered him, his hate for the Macedonian ruler had escalated to astronomical proportions, being fueled by the constant interference of the king in the slave's life. According to Alexander, it was only his intention to see to his recovery promptly but Hephaestion saw it as another way of domination.

The rest of the Companions could not understand Alexander's behaviour towards Hephaestion. The man had tried to kill him and then had threatened to do it again as soon as he had the opportunity but Alexander continued treating him politely as if he still were royalty.

Cleitus had promised to keep an eye on the brunette and, at the mere threat towards Alexander, he would not hesitate to send the brunette down to the house of death.

Hephaestion was now in a new room, sitting on a hard chair and a thick chain kept him attached to it by his ankle. As soon as his health had been fully recovered, Alexander was away for two months. Being left behind, Cleitus had seen his chance to have his own little revenge on the brunette so the day after Alexander's departure, he went to the slave's room and kicked him out of there, telling him that he had new accommodations. So here it was Hephaestion inside the tiniest cell he had ever seen and chained to a chair, with the threat of death hanging over his head if he ever dared to get loose.

Hephaestion had looked at him with anger in his cyan eyes at first but then he understood the General's reaction, he had not only threatened the king twice but also violated the three virtues that had been his guides during his whole life as a free man, so it was true that he deserved his slavery.

Truth did not only involved knowledge but also doing what it was right. Alexander was his captor and as his superior, he deserved Hephaestion's service as his personal slave.

Hephaestion would only recover his peace of mind when he had fully achieved the other two virtues. The young brunette did not have a problem accepting his truth but serving Alexander was a completely different thing and even though it was necessary, he would postpone that service as long as he could, trying to become invisible and forgettable; his peace of mind could wait a bit longer.

Alexander had been away for two months and on his return, he decided to visit the inner garden, his special place whenever he had something in his mind that was worrying him deeply. Alexander was walking towards it when a maid passed him by with a tray of food. She greeted him and followed her way towards the furthest part of the palace. Alexander was intrigued; his Companions, the ones who still were single, used to sleep in the palace but in the bigger chambers on the front part of the palace, so he could not understand who would choose those rooms that were no larger than a cell.

Alexander followed the maid with a certain distance and saw her push the tray through an opening in the lower part of one of those doors. When the woman disappeared, Alexander approached the chamber and looked inside through the tiny barreled window. There, chained by one hand to the wall and one leg to the sturdy chair was Hephaestion trying to eat one-handed his meagre breakfast.

Alexander was very angry with what he was seeing but he also knew he could not overrule his men's orders without knowing what had made them taken them during his absence or provoking more chaos and misunderstandings among his men.

He was not happy about how things had changed so drastically during his absence so after sighing loudly, he returned to his own chamber, thinking how he could improve Hephaestion's lifestyle without pissing off his Companions, especially Cleitus, who was really mad at the brunette.

The Black General had been summoned and he explained that all those new measurements had been taken due to Hephaestion's constant hostility and his frequent looks filled with hate and murder towards any men but especially against the Macedonian ruler. What Cleitus had forgotten to mention was that Hephaestion had not done anything wrong during the previous two months but his only presence annoyed the General a lot.

Alexander, during his time away, had been thinking about Hephaestion quite frequently. He had finally decided that he would give Hephaestion some minor tasks so he could still be in contact with books and knowledge so in that way; he would be able to live one of his virtues, even if he was no longer a Harmonian. Alexander could only think about Hephaestion as being the Harmonian prince still.

The young king decided to communicate his decision personally so he went in search of his slave. Hephaestion was still sitting on the hard chair; there was a cot on the floor but it was so thin that Alexander thought it should be extremely uncomfortable to sleep on it.

The king entered the cell and Hephaestion lifted his gaze to see who it was and Alexander immediately saw the anger and danger in those cerulean eyes. The blonde stopped immediately and for the first time in his life, he did not know how to speak up his mind.

He cleared his voice and asked:

\- "Are you fully recovered?"

\- "As if you care," Hephaestion said between his clenched teeth.

\- "Well, believe or not, I do care that is why I am asking you" Alexander replied, trying to keep his nerves calm.

\- "After ignoring me for the last two months? Not that I am complaining. Well, I am fully recovered so now that you know, you can go" Hephaestion spat back.

\- "I don't have to give you any explanation but I was away on a diplomatic mission for the last two months. I also think that you are not in the position to order me around because you are my slave and you are the one wearing chains" Alexander replied.

\- "Alright, that is true but this is my cell" Hephaestion replied stubbornly.

\- "Yes, it is but you can end chained to a tree if you don't change that horrible attitude, boy" Alexander shouted, forgetting his own desire to remain calm.

\- "I am an adult, I am 17, no longer a boy" Hephaestion replied loudly.

\- "Ah … so now you're back to be a Harmonian. I remembered very well when nine months ago you told me that you were an outcast" Alexander rebuked.

\- "I …. I …"Hephaestion stuttered, not knowing how to answer.

\- "I came here to offer you some tasks but I can see that you don't deserve that chance yet" Alexander informed him.

\- "What?" Hephaestion asked in a whisper.

\- "I was going to offer you some task as a scribe but I can't now," Alexander said, sensing the brunette's despair.

\- "Why not?" he asked.

\- "You don't want to serve me and I know that you embraced Truth and Service a year ago" Alexander answered.

\- "Who told you that?"

\- "Your former Doctor"

\- "Well but I am an outcast now"

\- "There you go again. No, you are neither an outcast nor a Harmonian, you're just a capricious and confused boy and until you decide what you really are, you will be chained to that wall or a tree if I decide that" Alexander stated seriously.

\- "You can't do that, I am an heir" Hephaestion replied.

\- "No, you are not. There is no longer a Harmonian royal family or kingdom" Alexander said and immediately regretted his hard words when he saw the agony in those blue eyes.

\- "So what am I? Just a spoil of war?" Hephaestion shouted with tears in his eyes.

\- "You are my slave and you will live to serve me," Alexander said.

\- "But you have never had slaves before" Hephaestion reminded him.

\- "No, but any man who had attempted against my life is dead, except you. I didn't kill you at that moment because I pitied you due to the whole situation but I was wrong. From now on, you will serve me in any way I want and you will obey me because it is the truth" Alexander said and when he finished speaking, he left the cell without looking back.

Some minutes later, two eunuchs came and took him to a nearby room where they gave Hephaestion a thorough bath. Then they braided his bronze tresses and dressed him in a short white chiton. Two armed guards were there during all the process and when they were over, they took Hephaestion to Alexander who was about to receive some ambassadors. One of the guards handed Alexander a gold chain with a wide collar. The king set it on his slave's neck and immediately attached the chain to one of the legs of his own throne. He then looked at Hephaestion with a very serious and cold look in his mismatched eyes and whispered:

\- "You will remain by my side, quiet and looking pretty because you are my slave and you will obey me"

Hephaestion could not believe his bad luck, the man who he had loved for many years despised him because he had spoken the truth and now he had been turned into a mere decorative object at the feet of the Macedonian king.

Hephaestion knelt by his side and remained like this for hours until Alexander remembered to give him some water and food. Hephaestion felt humiliated but, deep down in his heart, he started to believe that he deserved that due to his hostile attitude and changing mind.

Several ambassadors were attracted by the handsome slave at the king's feet and many of them had asked Alexander to hand him out to satisfy their desires to have him to warm their beds. Alexander looked out of the corner of his eyes and saw fear in the cyan eyes so he diplomatically explained that that slave was his personal one and was out of reach.

He asked one of his guards to take Hephaestion back to his cell so he could defuse some of the ambassadors' moody temper. The young king had a bitter flavour in his mouth at the mere thought of those fat hands all over the brunette's body. The boy was his and his he would remain forever.

As months went by, Alexander saw with satisfaction how Hephaestion had finally accepted his position as his personal slave, without realizing that the brunette was no longer a whole man but a broken one; a man who had nothing to lose because he had nothing, no self-esteem, no self-respect, no homeland or family.

Hephaestion was just a shell of the lively young man he used to be and that worrying feeling that his mother had had about him had finally become true.

Hephaestion was no longer helpful but servile, submissive.

Hephaestion had finally become a true slave in mind and heart.


	5. The Perfect Slave

CHAPTER 4: The perfect slave.

Three years had gone by and Hephaestion had finally become the perfect slave; he answered only when he was asked; he ate and drank when Alexander remembered and he followed the king, still chained, in many occasions. When the king did not want him by his side, Hephaestion remained in a small chamber next to Alexander's huge one.

The king had not chained him either to satisfy his personal needs or because he did not like him; on the contrary, Alexander was deeply infatuated with the young brunette who had bloomed and had become more handsome than he already was when they just met. Hephaestion was now 20 and Alexander was 28 and it was high time for the king to start looking for a bride but Alexander did not find that idea as enticing as the rest of the Companions and his advisors did.

He had eyes only for his handsome brunette slave so Alexander decided that, after three years during which he had been more than patient, he would change the dynamics between them and see where they led them.

He started little by little, with small gestures such as unchaining him during the time Hephaestion spent alone in his room. The first time he did that, Alexander hid behind a false wall and observed the brunette's movements. He was sure that he would try to wander around or even escape but he did none of those things. Hephaestion remained on his bed, lying on his back, with his gaze lost in the air.

Alexander repeated the same action for three more days and the slave always did the same, no matter what time of the day he was freed inside his chamber.

Alexander did not like that at all, he wanted a good slave but Hephaestion seemed to be dead inside. He had lost every single wish of freedom and with the intention of obeying Alexander, he had become a person who followed a single routine and did not dare or want to change any of it. He seemed like a small piece inside a well-oiled machine, a mere thing and no longer a person.

The long conquering campaigns had kept Alexander busy in the last two years and a half and, even though he had paid attention to his slave's needs as regards the basic ones, he had not offered Hephaestion again any chance to write or read. He decided he would change that situation so that same afternoon, before unchaining him, he left a scroll on the brunette's bedside table.

The following day Alexander saw that the scroll was exactly in the same position where he had left it so he decided to ask Hephaestion about it.

\- "Didn't you enjoy the scroll?"

\- "You didn't tell me I could read it, my king" he replied.

\- "Well, you can," Alexander said and Hephaestion just nodded.

A few days had gone by and the scroll was in the same place, as usual, so Alexander asked again.

\- "Did you read the scroll?"

\- "Yes, my king"

\- "Have you finished it?"

\- "Yes, my king"

\- "When was that?"

\- "Five days ago, my king"

He had finished reading it the same day he had allowed him to read it. At that exact moment, Alexander finally realized that he did not have the perfect slave; he had a dead man walking, who no longer enjoyed life because he had nothing to live for.

There were only two things that Alexander knew that could bring that lively man into life again, anger and desire and there was only one way to get that, Alexander would demand the use of Hephaestion's body and he would try to wake up the passionate man he suspected was hidden behind that perfect façade.

As he had done with the unchaining and the scroll, Alexander decided to start little by little, with subtle gestures and soft caresses and he would see how Hephaestion reacted to them.

He gave him a book but instead of leaving in on the bedside table as he did before, he gave it to him personally, brushing his fingers during the exchange. Hephaestion was startled and retrieved his hand as if it was on fire and a slight blush had covered the brunette's cheeks. Alexander looked at him and smirked; the young man had reacted to his touch so he was not as indifferent to pleasure as he had wanted everybody to believe. Alexander was happy with his little victory so he decided to follow that path.

A banquet was organized to celebrate the arrival of new ambassadors to the Macedonian kingdom and the king wanted everything to be perfect. Those ambassadors belonged to the last conquered lands, those same lands that had kept him away from his brunette. It was an important occasion and so he decided to have another gesture with his slave.

Alexander instructed his pages to leave a new midnight blue chiton, not as short as the ones he usually made Hephaestion wear, and a short light-blue chlamys for Hephaestion in the room next to his. Alexander took his bath and dressed up with a long deep crimson chiton and ornamented his fingers with many gold rings. He did all by himself, without asking for Hephaestion's help.

As soon as Hephaestion was ready, he knocked on the door that separated both rooms and he was granted entrance. The slave was startled to see Alexander already dressed, combed and ready to go. The king saw the surprised expression on the brunette's face and his heart jumped inside his chest, however, that feeling of joy was immediately replaced by worry because the king saw how fear invaded the cyan eyes.

Alexander looked around as if he were looking for something so Hephaestion dared to speak in a very low tone,

\- "I am already wearing my collar; here is the leash, my king," he said while offering him the thick chain.

\- "I am not in the mood for the leash today," Alexander said and walked towards Hephaestion.

The brunette was frozen in his spot, I had been very difficult to resist Alexander's latest advances and the feeling they provoked in him and now, having him so close to him and looking that sexy, it was simply excruciating.

Alexander walked around his slave and stood behind him for a second or two. He lightly brushed the tips of his fingers around the right side of the slave's neck, lifted the long brunette tresses and unbuckled the collar, letting it fall onto the floor with a loud noise. Hephaestion flinched at the unexpected noise and shuddered when he felt Alexander's warm breath on his nape.

\- "You should wear your hair up so everybody can see that you have a lovely neck" Alexander suggested in a whisper.

Hephaestion could have sworn that he had felt a ghost of a kiss on his nape. He remained immobile and then felt a soft leather cord in his hands.

\- "Tie up your hair and come to see me when you are ready"

Hephaestion nodded and moved quickly out of the king's chamber while his heart beat fast and madly against the wall of his chest.

He tied his hair in a kind of bun and fixed the leather cord around it to keep it in place. When he finished, he reentered the main room and he saw Alexander's expression. The king had not been able to hide his desire and Hephaestion had immediately cast down his eyes. Alexander grabbed his wrist and led him to the Throne Room where he was ordered to sit on a pile of fluffy and soft cushions by the king's feet.

When the ambassadors greeted the king, they openly stared at the handsome young man and more than one offered a big sum of money to buy him, without realizing that Hephaestion could understand their different languages.

Alexander always kindly replied that he was not for sale and when the banquet began, Alexander sent Hephaestion to his room. The king was quite upset because his slave was receiving many admiring and lascivious looks. One of his guards took Hephaestion to the chamber without any further instruction so Hephaestion thought that Alexander's former reaction had been too short to be good.

It was the wee hours of the morning when Alexander woke up from his drunken doziness and so he decided to go back to his chamber. He did not know what made him check on his slave but he found Hephaestion, on his knees by his own bed and barely awake. At that moment, even with a cloudy head, he realized that he had not given Hephaestion any instruction when he sent him away so the brunette was just being a good slave.

Listening to the dragged footsteps, Hephaestion straightened his back and opened his eyes widely.

\- "Go to sleep, Hephaestion," Alexander told him.

\- "Yes, my king" he replied and at that moment, his stomach made a loud roaring sound.

\- "Did you have something to eat last night?"

\- "No. my king"

\- "Why not? There was plenty of food on the tables" Alexander answered.

\- "You sent me here as soon as the banquet began so I supposed you did not want to feed me, my king" Hephaestion explained, all the time looking at something behind Alexander's right shoulder.

\- "No!. I was distracted by other things. Go and get something to eat … and drink" he remembered to add.

\- "There's no need, my king. I will be up in an hour or so" Hephaestion replied.

Alexander left the chamber in silence but ten minutes later, a maid appeared with a tray with a big bowl of warm milk and a big loaf of bread.

\- "The king told me you should eat all of it and I will take the tray in the morning" she explained.

Hephaestion thanked the maid and eyed the food with hunger. He started to eat and when he realized there were only breadcrumbs and nothing of milk left. Feeling his stomach full and warm, he decided to rest his eyes for a little while.

Alexander woke up later than usual and so did Hephaestion. However, when the slave realized how late it was, he knew he would be punished in some way. Alexander was a very organized man and he was always busy so he needed to be up early in the morning.

Hephaestion left his room through the small side door and ran towards the kitchen. He greeted the cook and asked her to prepare the king's breakfast. Since a week ago, Alexander had ordered Hephaestion to have his breakfast ready as well as the clothes for the day. The king had decided that so he would have more time alone with his slave and he would wear the clothes chosen by him, a childish thing but he did not care what other people thought about it.

Hephaestion walked back to the king's chamber and knocked on the door. He did not get an answer. He waited for a minute or two and knocked once again. This time, when there was no reply, he decided to enter anyway. He left the breakfast tray on a side table and started to prepare the clothes for the day.

Alexander groaned loudly, a splitting headache, due to the excessive drinking the night before, was hammering his poor head and he was not feeling good at all. He slid off the bed to go to the inner room to relieve himself and he did not care that he was completely naked. Hephaestion immediately turned around to give him some privacy but Alexander saw that kind gesture as an offence.

\- "Does my body disgust you so much that you can't tolerate the sight of it?" he asked quite angrily.

\- "No, my king, it is not that. I … I …" the young slave wanted to explain that Harmonians considered their bodies as their most precious possession and it was not common to show their naked bodies to other people if they were not in a love relationship.

\- "From today onwards, you will also bathe me, another duty that is also performed by personal slaves," Alexander said and Hephaestion could hear the angry tone of his loud voice once again.

Hephaestion sighed lowly as soon as Alexander disappeared in the inner room and thought about this new punishment. He remembered how much he would have enjoyed doing that when he was a teen but doing that task now would imply another sacrifice to his already confused mind and heart.

Alexander entered his chamber again and went directly to the side table to have his breakfast. Due to his bad mood, he obviously criticized Hephaestion's choice of food, however, he ate it all. When the morning meal was over, he ordered Hephaestion to prepare his bath.

With trembling hands, the slave filled the tub where he set the hot stones inside to warm the water. He prepared the flannels and scented oils to wash the body and hair. Alexander, who had remained naked, entered the tub and remained quiet, soaking his body for a while. His headache was already receding but his bad mood was not.

\- "What are you waiting, slave? Wash me?" he ordered him, opening his mismatched eyes and looking at Hephaestion who was slightly trembling.

Hephaestion tried to do his best but nothing he did was good for the king. He finally ordered him to leave the room because he was useless. The real reason behind Alexander's bad mood was that he was feeling extremely aroused due to the brunette's presence and his shy touches over his naked body. Alexander did not want Hephaestion to see that as an advantage for him or as Alexander's weakness.

Hephaestion was waiting with the clothes ready to help him get dressed but Alexander dismissed him again, ordering to stay inside his room until he called him again.

Even though Hephaestion was confused, he was also relieved; he still hated Alexander for what had happened nearly four years ago but unfortunately for him, he could still feel moved by the young Macedonian ruler.

The day went by and Hephaestion was neither summoned to the king's side nor sent food or water. Night arrived and Hephaestion was still in his room; he heard the king's chamber door opened and he thought he would be ordered to wash and have something to eat. However, when he heard a second voice, he knew that would not happen. Minutes later, loud groans and the hitting of flesh against flesh told Hephaestion what kind of visit the king was having. Groan and moans were heard for a long time and Hephaestion did not know what to feel. The same situation happened three days on a row and Hephaestion started to feel the toll of Alexander's neglect in his body.

Alexander was in the meeting room when he asked Cleitus to fetch Hephaestion; some dignitaries were coming to see him afterwards and he was in the mood of showing Hephaestion off.

The Black General opened the chamber door, walked through Alexander's quarter until he reached the slave room. When he entered he found the young slave lying on the floor. He knelt by his side to check his pulse and he discovered it was too erratic; he seemed to be unconscious. He checked the room in search of anything suspicious but he found nothing. When he moved the boy with his booted foot to wake him up, he realized that his clothes were dirty as he had soiled them.

He went back quickly to the meeting room and asked Alexander to go with him. As soon as Alexander saw where they were heading, he realized that there was a problem. On his way there, the General retold Alexander what he had seen. Cleitus left Alexander inside the chamber alone while he went to look for the doctor.

Minutes later, Alexander saw the doctor tear the dirty chiton and he finally came to his senses.

\- "I didn't send him food or water for three days" he whispered.

\- "Why did you do that, Sire?" the doctor asked surprised.

\- "Because I was upset" Alexander confessed.

\- "Well, that is not a good excuse. He has passed out due to his weakness and the hot atmosphere inside this small room. He would recover as soon as he eats something nutritious and drinks lots of fluids" he suggested.

\- "I will ask the cook to prepare him some soup," Cleitus said and went away.

\- "What I cannot understand is why he didn't take care of his body, for Harmonians, their bodies are as sacred as a temple," the old doctor said aloud.

\- "He is no longer a Harmonian; his only duty is to obey and serve me because I am his owner" Alexander replied.

\- "Well, sire, I know that you have never had a slave before but he is your charge and you should look after him; if you don't do it personally, give him the order to look after himself" the doctor suggested.

Alexander nodded and left the room, feeling embarrassed as well as upset.

The good doctor brought Hephaestion back with some salts under his nose but the brunette was too weak to react at first. When he did it, he began to hyperventilate because he was too nervous as he had proved to the king, once again, how useless he was.

The old doctor gave him some herbs to chew so he could settle his nerves down and he also transmitted the king's orders.

By midafternoon, Hephaestion was almost recovered and he felt much better after having a well-needed bath. A pair of new chitons had been left over a chair as well as some loincloths and a hairbrush.

After getting ready, Hephaestion looked for Alexander to thank him but one of the maids told him that the king had left on a short campaign and they did not know when he would return.

The short campaign was not short at all, it lasted five months and by the end of it, Alexander was tired and skittish; he did want to return to his palace but he also knew what was waiting for him, or rather who. He had left his slave behind and he had not had news about his wellbeing. He had to suppose he was fine but he would not know for sure until he got back.

The arrival of the victorious Army was announced by people cheering their king's name and going outside to receive them. Many women were dancing in the streets and children were running from one side to the other, looking for a father, a brother or any relative in the files.

Hephaestion did not know how to behave; slaves were not allowed to leave the palace grounds so he decided to wait for the king in a neutral place. He was standing at the palace stairs when Alexander arrived. The blonde king had seen his slave as soon as he crossed the gates and he had sighed loudly. Ptolemy, who was riding by his side, snorted loudly because he had seen where the king's eyes had been drawn to. Hephaestion looked taller and in better shape than before. When the doctor had told him that Alexander wanted him to take care of his body, Hephaestion had started to exercise regularly and stay outside for longer periods of time so his skin had got a soft bronze tone. This new healthy appearance, longer tresses and brighter eyes made Alexander groan loudly and many of his close friends had laughed at him. During a conversation two nights ago, he had confessed that his infatuation with the Harmonian was over and that it was time for him to look for a bride and an heir to his growing empire.

Hearing him sigh and groan at the view of the gorgeous brunette told his men that he was lying, his conversation had been a big bluff and now he would have to deal with the slave's presence back in his life.

Alexander dismounted and was immediately greeted by his people and the members of his council, however, Hephaestion remained in his place, looking at him through half-closed eyes as if he wanted to look at him but at the same time he was averting his blue orbs from him.

Some minutes went by and Alexander started to climb up the stairs. Hephaestion stood tall and straight and when Alexander was closer, the brunette knew he had to do something, to acknowledge his presence. Unfortunately, they were very few steps apart when a black-haired young woman threw into the king's arms and kissed him on the lips. Alexander, taken by surprise, answered by kissing the girl back, and then she pushed him inside the palace while chatting quickly. Hephaestion felt his heart break into a thousand pieces. He had been expecting Alexander's return to set things right between them but the presence of his bride had changed everything.

He lowered his head and returned to the kitchen where he had spent most of the time when he had not been outside. He had learnt how to cook nutritious meals and he had also taught the cook new combinations of herbs to create new flavours. He had also taught some farmers new techniques to get better crops and the old doctor had spent many afternoons in the company of the slave learning about healing herbs and medicinal concoctions and exchanging with the young man some essential and basic knowledge.

The old cook looked into his cyan eyes and saw a deep sadness that had suddenly invaded them. She had seen him dust his chiton and comb his hair when he heard that the king was arriving but now it seemed as if he had lost everything.

\- "Are you fine?"

\- "Yes"

\- "What did Alexander say?"

\- "He didn't talk to me"

\- "Why not?"

\- "He was busy kissing his bride"

\- "Really?"

\- "Yes. If there is nothing to do here, I will go to my room"

\- "Go, dear, go"

The pages were coming and going, getting ready for the impromptu small banquet. Alexander was talking to his advisors while his dark-haired companion was still attached to his arm. However, his mismatched eyes were scanning the room once and again, in search of his slave. He could just call him but he wanted to be calm when they met again.

Ptolemy, who saw him looking around, whispered in his ear,

\- "He is not here, I saw him walking towards his room a moment ago"

\- "Whom are you talking about?" Alexander asked.

\- "A certain gorgeous brunette who had stolen you many hours of sleep," he said and went away.

Ptolemy, from the corner of the room, saw Alexander going to his chamber and smiled. He only wished everything went well between them after those months being apart.

When Alexander entered his chamber, he could see that it was clean and tidy. He could also see that it had been recently aired and when he entered the inner bathroom he found Hephaestion setting the hot stones inside the tub.

\- "What are you doing?" he asked and he startled Hephaestion who let one big stone fall onto his foot.

\- "Preparing your bath, my king" he replied trying to hide the pain of the burn but he could not.

\- "Let me see that," Alexander said, making Hephaestion sit on the tub border.

\- "There's no need, my king. I will put some lotion after tending to you" Hephaestion said.

\- "Do that, I can bathe myself" the blonde said and the brunette left the inner room.

A moment later, Hephaestion was about to finish when he heard the main door open and someone giggling.

\- "Where are you, my fine stallion?" she said and giggled.

\- "Who's there?" Alexander asked.

\- "It's me, who else thinks you are a stud?" she said and her tone of voice was rather angry.

\- "You can't be here without your maid" Alexander, who had quickly wrapped a towel around his waist, replied.

\- "That didn't bother you all those months before," she said and pouted.

Meanwhile, Hephaestion was watching the scene through the door ajar. He did not know what to do so he decided to appear by the side door and ask from behind the door,

\- "My king, are you ready to get dressed or do you need more time?"

\- "Who is that?" she asked Alexander.

\- "He is Hephaestion. Do come in and help me" Alexander said.

\- "Who are you?" she asked while getting closer to the brunette.

\- "I am King Alexander's slave" he replied and cast down his eyes.

\- "You didn't tell me you had one, and so handsome" she said and pouted dramatically.

\- "Why should I tell you?" Alexander asked while he looked at Hephaestion's choice of clothes.

\- "Would you mind turning around while I help my king to get dressed?" Hephaestion asked her gently.

\- "Yes, I do mind. I have seen and enjoyed his naked body many times and you are just a dirty slave to tell me what I can or can't do" she replied while looking at Hephaestion with disgust in her dak eyes.

\- "Gorgon, draw back your claws. Go ahead, Hephaestion" Alexander said.

\- "Alright, but he will serve me too" she commanded the king without knowing she was making a huge mistake.

\- "No, he is mine and he only serves me," Alexander said and looked at the brunette in the eyes who immediately knelt by his side.

\- "It is not fair," she said and stomped her feet on the marble floor when she saw such a big display of loyalty.

\- "I suggest you go back to the throne room and wait for me there," Alexander said and his tone voice showed how angry he was feeling.

The black-haired Gorgon left the chamber cursing the brunette and swearing he would suffer her gods' wrath. Meanwhile, Hephaestion had not moved a single muscle and waited for his new order. Alexander sat in the bed and sighed deeply.

\- "Have you seen my other cloak?" he asked

\- "Yes, my king. I'm sorry" Hephaestion said and ran to fetch the mentioned garment.

\- "Gorgon is like that, don't worry about her" Alexander said without understanding why he was giving that explanation but he felt that he needed.

\- "I won't, my king," the brunette said and remained quiet.

Alexander looked at him for the first time since his arrival and saw the changes in his young slave, changes that made him more gorgeous than he already was. When the king did not leave the room, Hephaestion asked,

\- "Is there something else you need, my king?

\- "No, everything is fine" he replied, trying to make Hephaestion look at him.

\- "I will retire to my room if that is fine, my king," the brunette said.

\- "It is not fine," the king said making Hephaestion stood frozen in his spot.

\- "How are you, Hephaestion?" the king asked.

\- "I am fine, my king" he replied quickly.

\- "I can see that you have been looking after yourself" Alexander stated.

\- "As you commanded me, my king" the young brunette answered.

\- "That is good. Let me see your face"

Alexander approached the brunette and took his chin between his thumb and forefinger and moved the brunette's face from one side to the othe, looking at it with attention.

\- "Your skin has a golden hue now" he said lowly.

\- "Is that fine, my king?" he asked and Alexander felt the tiny tremors in his slave's body.

\- "Yes, your eyes stand out more with this new complexion," he said and leaned forward to kiss him on the lips but when he felt Hephaestion shake, he stepped back.

\- "I want you to join us for the banquet and then you can come back here when the dancing begins"

\- "Yes, my king," he said and walked to the door and opened it to let Alexander pass.

Both men entered the throne room, hephaestion following the blonde foour steps behind, and Alexander went directly to this throne and sat down. He looked at the cushions next to it and smiled, however, he did not want to have Hephaestion knelt by his side so he did not ask him to do that. He wondered if things would be different if he took Hephaestion to his bed. He would have kissed him before if he had not felt Hephaestion's fear; he wanted Hephaestion to feel desire for him, he did not want him to do it by obligation.

Gorgon ran toward him as soon as she realized he was there, and she was about to sit on the cushions when Alexander told her never to use them. She immedaitely realized whose cushions were and so she looked at the brunette who was standing, hiding on a corner of the room and swore once again.

Alexander looked at Hephaestion many times during the banquet and he could see that he had established more relationships while he had been gone away on his last campaign. He also saw Ptolemy talking to him and even though the brunette kept a big distance between him and the General, Alexander could not help feeling jealous. Hephaestion smiled at something Ptolemy said and Alexander's anger escalated until he realized that the slave was not doing anything wrong or intentionally to annoy him.

Hephaestion, as if he were able to feel Alexander's eyes on him, lifted his gaze and their eyes met. He immediately lowered them and excused himself with Ptolemy. The blonde man looked towards Alexander's direction and shook his head, showing his disapproval.

Alexander breathed deeper when he saw his slave alone and so he continued listening to Gorgon's parroting without understanding a single word she had uttered. He wanted so bad to go back to his chamber and took Hephaestion's mouth in a deep and long kiss that he felt his cock twitching inside his loincloth. He wanted to feel those hands on him and make Hephaestion desire him as much as he already did.

The banquet was nearly over and he saw some dancers and musicians entering the room. At that exact moment, Hephaestion looked for his eyes as if he was asking for permission and Alexander just nodded. The brunette left the room quickly and went back to his little bed where he cried bitter tears of sadness and loneliness.

If he only knew how much he was desired by the same man he was crying about.

If he only could understand his king's heart and mind, who was lately giving him such mixed signals.

If he only knew how much his life would change that very same night.


	6. THE mistake

**CHAPTER 5: THE mistake.**

 **NC-17 m/m sexual intercourse.**

 **For Delos13 on her birthday!**

* * *

Alexander entered his chamber in the early hours of the morning, dragging his tired feet onto the marble floor. He felt his head as if it was filled with tiny drums, all of them playing at the same time. He could feel the vein on his right temple pulsating fast and strong. His mouth and tongue were dry in spite of the big amount of wine he had drunk. He looked at his hands and felt them empty … if only he could have what he wanted the most … not what but whom …

Fortunately, Gorgon had not followed him to his chamber; he really did not have the strength to fight her. Her father had seen her inappropriate behaviour and had commanded her to go back to her room and fetch her belongings as they were leaving as soon as the banquet was over. She made quite a big scene because she did not want to leave Alexander alone. However, as the king did not utter a word to disagree with her father's decision in public, she had no other choice but to follow her father's orders.

Alexander sat on his massive bed and felt loner than before. He knew what he wanted but he did not know how to get it. Silently, he walked towards Hephaestion's tiny room, which was always spotless. Alexander thought that it was easy to keep it that way as he had almost nothing in it. He leaned on the doorframe and watched the sleeping man for several minutes. He was about to go back to his chamber when he heard a very low whimper, like a soft cry, coming from the small single bed. He got closer, knelt over Hephaestion and saw his face mar with distress.

Without giving it a second thought, he slid beneath the rough cotton sheet and spooned the slave's body. The bed was small for two men, and even though Hephaestion was quite slim, Alexander had to embrace him to avoid falling off the bed. Hephaestion felt the warmth on his back and relaxed in his sleep; his mind transported him to better and happier times when he lived with his parents and sisters and they used to cuddle him whenever he felt unwell.

Alexander felt the change in his slave's breathing and sighed happily because he had been able to calm him down for a while.

However, he was not as calm as he thought it would be. Having the object of his affection between his arms had awakened his body and his manhood started to feel warmer and harder.

Alexander did not know what to do if surrender to the desire coursing through his veins or fight it. He buried his nose in Hephaestion's neck and that was his downfall.

He started to play with the strands of hair on the back of Hephaestion's neck fondly while massaging the scalp with soothing movements.

Hephaestion moved a little backward, pushing his back and buttocks further into Alexander's hot body. Taking that movement as an acceptance, Alexander started to draw small circles along Hephaestion's arm until he reached his hand and then he went upward caressing the side of the youth's body.

Hephaestion felt hands ghosting over his body and liked the warm sensation a lot. He was having one of his dreams, those dreams that had accompanied him during his teen years but it felt much better than he remembered, more vivid, as if his Alexander was there with him, actually.

Alexander could feel waves of desire rippling through his body and he realized that he needed much more, he really needed to possess his slave, the man he was so much in love with but was too afraid to accept that truth in his mind; the king's heart, however, had lost the battle the first time he saw him.

Alexander's hand drifted lazily over his brunette's chest until it reached his left side and left it there, onto the man's chest and felt his heart beat inside his body. Alexander's breath caught in his throat and his pulse raced while he skimmed his hand over Hephaestion's abdomen and caressed the taut muscles.

Hephaestion moaned in his sleep and searched more warmth by fusing his own body with the one he felt attached to his back.

Alexander felt his blood rush south, filling his cock and he could not help leading his hand towards Hephaestion's nether region. He ran his hot wet tongue over his dry lips, rolling in his lower lip and biting it to avoid moaning loudly.

A husky voice mumbled something in Hephaestion's ear and the brunette could not help shiver as the king's hot breath drifted across his hot skin. He felt an odd surge through his body, as if his skin was tingling where he had felt those caresses. His heart raced up to the point of feeling as if wild horses were running inside his chest, however, he sighed with calmness when more experienced fingers moved along the inside of his thigh and ran over his hardness, which was fully awake and quite erect.

Hephaestion moved his body closer, like snuggling, towards that hand that was making him feel marvels in his body and that was when the real exploration of a forbidden territory began. His body was humming and throbbing with need.

Alexander took Hephaestion's manhood between his fingers and started to massage it, up and down, following with his fingertip the thick vein behind it until it was fully hard.

The king moved backwards and he heard his slave protest due to the lack of warmth, so he quickly pumped his own cock, whose head was covered by its pearly creamy juice, and so then he used that to prepare the young man.

Alexander let his hand descend from the upper part of Hephaestion's spine to the small of his back, caressing it carefully and arousing him much more. He then shaped his hand to Hephaestion's buttocks and drew him against his royal body. Both men gave a little groan but they needed more from each other.

Alexander started to stretch the tight ring of muscles. In the middle of the entire situation, the king did not ever think once that his slave was still a virgin so he did not pay too much attention to the first grunts coming from the young man; he thought the slave might be tight because he had not got laid in the last three years.

He growled, his cum-covered fingers thrust into his slave's channel, again and again, stretching him as wide as possible. When he could not resist that much longer, he felt his body engulfed in passion so he settled behind and then he was inside him, breaching the last of the resistance with the swift but caring heat of his body.

Hephaestion felt a pang of such agonizing pain in his lower back that he woke up. What he discovered was that he was not having one of those vivid dreams of his teen years but a very real experience.

Alexander felt the young man tense in front of him so he brought him closer and whispered soothing words while he lessened the force of his thrusts. Hephaestion bit his lower lip and swallowed his tears. This was not the way he wanted to have his first time, he had always dreamt to make love to that person, not only to be fucked by someone who did not love him.

Alexander's caresses and rhythmic thrusts made jolts of pleasure raced down the brunette's spine, a pleasure he did not want to feel but that he did not have the time to brace himself as the first wave of pleasure swept through him. He let out a long groan as his channel flexed, triggering his and Alexander's orgasms.

Alexander cuddled him against his body and showered the side of his neck and right shoulder with tiny kisses while he let his cock leave the hot channel it had been in.

Hephaestion groaned in pain so Alexander massaged his lower back, whispering that he would be more careful next time and that his body would remember now what all the dynamics of having sex was like.

He soothed his slave with caresses until he fell asleep quickly afterwards.

One hour or so later, Alexander left the slave's room to go to his own bathroom, his bladder was full, and his stomach felt sticky but his heart was happy and full of expectations. However, his own dream of taking his slave as his lover came down to pieces when he saw his own cock covered in blood. He rushed back to the room and checked Hephaestion's body and that was when he saw the thin trail of blood on his lower back.

He felt horrified by his action so he decided to have a quick bath and call the doctor. Maybe he was wrong and it was only a small tear …

The doctor arrived within no time and entered the room to check the young man. The old doctor could see the dry tear tracks on the man's cheeks and that bloody trail between his thighs. He tried to wake up the young man but he could not; it was as if Hephaestion had entered a catatonic state so asking for the gods' help, he checked him anyway. When he finished, he told the king that he had indeed breached his anal channel and that he would need medication in case he got an infection. Seeing the horrified expression on the king's face, the good doctor rushed to tell him that he did not hurt him badly; it was just the natural breach of a virgin channel. The king paled even more and murmured that he did not know he had not lain with anyone before.

The doctor explained that Harmonians kept their bodies and their first time for the people they married to, in fact, they are all virgin until their wedding night. Alexander cried bitter tears of anguish and he felt so angry at himself that he left the room but before commanded the doctor to look after Hephaestion.

The doctor asked the cook to prepare some linden tea and some bread for the brunette. In the meantime, Alexander sent his own personal page Eupolos to help the doctor, bathe Hephaestion, get him dressed and put him to bed. He was also told to remain by the man's side and obey every single indication or request he wanted.

Eupolos, knowing the true nature of Alexander's feelings for the brunette, acted calmly and slowly, giving the young man all the time he needed.

Hephaestion woke up from his catatonic state and he felt so ashamed and furious at the same time that he did not know how he would react as soon as he saw Alexander again. However, he talked to the doctor who told him that the pain in his inner channel and lower back would disappear along the day as it had not been traumatic at all.

Hephaestion looked at him with surprise and asked how he could say that. The doctor asked if he could sit by his side because they had a lot of things to discuss. The doctor told him about how it was expected for a male body to react to the first anal intercourse. While he was explaining that, Hephaestion realized that even though he had not been fully awake during the whole process, he had been awake enough to feel Alexander's foreplay, preparation and caresses to excite his body and get it ready to receive him.

Hephaestion looked at him and whispered,

\- "But I didn't want it to be like that"

\- "I know, my boy, but your body reacted to his body, as simple as that"

\- "Harmonians do not have sex, we make love"

\- "Love does not recognize nationalities, skin colour, languages, among other things, it only recognizes love," he said, waiting for the reaction.

\- "I do NOT love him! He raped me, he took the most sacred thing to me" he shouted.

\- "Well, technically, he did not rape you, I could assure you that but I also recognize that your virginity was important for you and he did not have the right to take it from you," he said.

Hephaestion lowered his head and hid his face behind his hands. He whispered something and when he lowered his hands, the doctor could see that fat tears were falling down her cyan eyes.

\- "Sorry, my boy, but my hearing is not as good as it used to be. If you want an answer, you have to repeat that" the old man said.

\- "He did not take it from me; in fact, he is the owner of my body but until yesterday he had not used that right on me" he replied and then left the bed and the room.

Eupolos reached Hephaestion in his way to the kitchen, he looked better than before but his eyes were bright less, filled with pain and sorrow, just like the mismatched eyes of the king.

\- "What do you need, Hephaestion?" he asked the slave.

\- "Some water" he replied.

\- "Why didn't you ask me for that?" he asked.

\- "Why?" he felt confused by the question.

\- "Because I am here to serve you" he replied.

\- "You are the king's page and I am a slave" he stated loud and clear.

\- "Alexander's last orders were those" Eupolos said.

\- "What do you mean by his last orders?" Hephaestion asked and his voice sounded low.

\- "He went away as soon as the doctor went to check you up," he told him.

\- "He is running away again, isn't he? Every time there is a personal problem, he runs in search of an exotic land to conquer" he said, lowered his head and continued his way to the kitchen.

Days went by; Hephaestion recovered from his indisposition and tried to continue with his life. He thought that being away from Alexander would make him feel better; however, it was quite the opposite.

The first days, he felt so much pity for himself than he did not have time to register Alexander's absence. The problem came after. Hephaestion's body entered like in a craving state and the brunette did not like that feeling at all. He felt his blood running quickly through his veins towards his nether region whenever he let Alexander invade his thoughts; his skin felt as if ghost hands were caressing and arousing his whole body; he could even feel patches of cold skin wherever Alexander's caresses had been longer or much more caring.

Fed up of fighting against his own body, Hephaestion's state of mind changed completely and so he was like a chained lion inside a tiny cage.

He cursed Alexander's absence because it did not only make him feel alone but also used. When the word "used" sank inside his mind, there was nothing to prevent his anger to rise to astronomical proportions, he was so angry that he cursed Alexander's name every time he had a chance and then he realized that if he had had the slightest idea that Alexander could still be the man he had fallen in love many years ago, it had already vanished because after getting what he wanted, that was his body, Alexander had run away, leaving him behind and alone as if he were just a broken toy, a piece of trash and he was no longer interested in playing with him.

His wrath was fed with the absence and when the second month arrived and there was no news about Alexander's return, his heart was so filled with anger that it forgot all about the rest of his feelings.

He prepared a sacrifice to his gods and asked them for a proper punishment for Alexander, a punishment that would set him right, a punishment which would show him how much he had hurt Hephaestion.

And that punishment was what he got.

News about an ambush to the royal camp arrived with a messenger; the army was bringing Alexander back to take care of him and see if there was a chance of recovery. According to the camp doctor, the chances were almost none.

Eupolos entered the king's chamber and began to prepare it. Hephaestion, who was reading inside his own room, heard the movement of furniture and the cleaning of the floors.

When all the noise was over, he showed his head through his door and he felt surprised at the new arrangements, the big bed had been moved to a side and there was a simple and hard bed in its place. It was made with common cotton sheets and there were straps on its side as if the person lying on it needed to be strapped.

Gone were the many silk and embroidered cushions, they had been replaced by a small and hard-looking pillow.

There was a big table and its surface was filled with gauzes, pots, creams and lotions as well as many glass bottles containing different concoctions.

Hephaestion felt nervous and entered the room to see what else had been changed. At that moment, Eupolos entered bringing more cotton sheets, soft towels and all the things needed to give someone a bed bath.

The young page looked at him and the expression in his face became quite stony. He was about to speak but he decided not to do it. He continued with his chores but Hephaestion could sense that the young man wanted to share something.

\- Eupolos, what is happening?

\- "It seemed like your wish has become true"

\- "What are you saying?" the brunette asked, a bit surprised at the angry tone of voice.

\- "Your wish at your gods 'altar," the young pace said between clenched teeth.

Hephaestion paled, his body started to shake even if it was imperceptible to anybody's eye and he wrung his hands repeatedly.

\- "How?" the slaved dared to ask.

\- "I saw you"

\- "I didn't see you"

\- "I know, I am used to being unseen"

\- "Why were you following me?"

\- "Because that was one of my orders"

\- "Why?"

\- "Alexander did not want anything bad to happen to you so he ordered me to follow you"

\- "He asked you that?"

\- "Yes, he did"

\- "But I wasn't in danger that day"

\- "No, but I saw you and you were too nervous, too angry as if you were not yourself at all"

\- "So you heard me"

\- "Yes and now I would appreciate if you disappear until you are summoned. I have already prepared another room for you"

\- "Why?"

\- "I don't trust you any longer," the page said seriously.

\- "But I wasn't the one who hurt him" Hephaestion replied, trying to defend himself.

\- "Not with your own hands but your words were heard loud and clear by your gods and they did act on your behalf" the page answered and the poor slave could see his face filled with disgust.

\- "I did not …" he started to speak but was suddenly interrupted.

\- "Yes, you did. Please, leave the room now that my king is coming" Eupolos asked and the slave did as he was asked.

Alexander entered the chamber lying onto a hard piece of wood. He was carried by his closest friends whose faces were marred with pain and anxiety.

The good old doctor ran to the patient's side and gasped with horror as soon as he took the bandages carefully. Not only had he been speared but also burnt. The upper part of his body was a mass of charred skin, full of blisters, some of them open and showing the reddish skin beneath them.

\- "How did this happen?" the doctor asked while he continued with his examination.

\- "The long spear pierced his shoulder and then he was hit by flaming arrows which had oil-soaked tows tied just below the arrowhead" Cleitus, who was the one with more experience in any kind of weapons, explained.

\- "As the thick-headed person he is, he continued struggling until he fell to the floor and that was when we supposed his injuries became infected" Ptolemy added.

\- "The camp doctor did the most he could but he is not satisfied with his recovery. He had not come back to full consciousness, he is in and out of it, sometimes he murmurs something but we haven't been able to understand what he says" Perdicas told the doctor.

\- "It is the first time I see him not fighting back, it seems as if he does not want to recover. He was acting a bit strange during the campaign, he looked sad and sometimes I saw him cry. Obviously, he did not recognize that but he was not the cheerful young king who all know and love" Cleitus said.

The doctor found Eupolos's eyes on him and nodded slightly, both men knew why Alexander had been acting like that and the very same man who had provoked that reaction, was listening to that conversation from behind the hidden wall.

Hephaestion felt guilty, his own desire of revenge had been heard and the Macedonian king had been punished in consequence. However, after months of thinking and evaluating the whole situation, he had been able to see the situation from another point of view but at this moment, it would not help Alexander at all.

A low whimper made everybody's eyes set onto the lying figure. The king's lips were moving, trying to form words but their chapped skin made it more difficult and tiny cuts reopened, bringing more pain.

Stray tears fell and rolled down the king's cheeks and everybody felt so much pity for the young man.

Hephaestion's heart shrank inside his chest and felt so guilty that he wanted to ask those same gods to heal his king. He promised to pray for his recovery; his mother would be horrified due to his behaviour, especially because he had also embraced service and it included helping even those people who were not friends.

His mind was in complete chaos; his thoughts came and went from one excuse to the other. He found reasons to help Alexander and also other reasons to hate him. He remembered his vows as a Harmonian but a minute later he remembered that he was no longer a Harmonian. He was so confused that he did no longer know what to do, feel or say.

He left the hidden place beneath the false wall and ran to the garden, to the same secret spot where he had smiled, laughed, cried and cursed. He spent long hours there and when he reached to a decision; he went back to the palace and walked to the kitchen where he took an early dinner and after finishing it, he retired to his old room, no matter what Eupolos wanted.

He was reading on his bed when he heard whisperings in the other room. As he knew Eupolos was there, he did not move. However, minutes later the whispering had turned into a low sobbing and it continued for some more minutes.

Hephaestion left his bed and walked to the inner door that divided both rooms and saw no one in the chamber. He decided to go to the king's side and he found out that Alexander was in really bad shape. His forehead was sweaty, strands of blonde hair were stuck to his scalp and his arms were strapped to his sides to prevent him from touching his wounds.

Alexander's whisperings began again and so Hephaestion got closer to his ear and could hear a stream of "Sorry" and the king's voice became more and more agitated and his chest began to rise and fall quicker due to his shaky breathing and that made some of the blisters began to ooze a yellowish liquid.

Hephaestion did what his mind order; he took a bowl of warm water, a clean piece of cloth and cleaned the sweating from the king's forehead. Then he did the same with the rest of his king's body that was not covered in blisters, trying to refresh the feverish skin. He finger-combed the loose strands and then he carefully wetted the parched skin of the royal lips, moistening them in order to prevent more cracks.

Alexander sighed with relief and tried to open his eyes but it seemed that the light hurt them so he almost closed them, leaving just a thin slit open. The clouded mind of the king did not let him see clearly who was taking care of him but his heart, which was wiser, was shouting that his beloved slave was the one looking after him, and that simple fact made him feel guiltier so another stream of "Sorry" left the king's lips.

Hephaestion did not say a word while he was by his side; he knew that Alexander would rest more calmly if he talked to him or give him the chance to ask for his forgiveness. However, Hephaestion was not ready for that yet, even if he knew he would do it sooner than later.

Alexander felt asleep again so Hephaestion went back to his room, without knowing that Eupolos had seen him taking care of the king. The page, in spite of feeling still mad at him, smiled and prayed to the gods for their reconciliation.

However, the gods were not listening very carefully to the loyal page; during the whole day and night, Alexander suffered from recurrent bouts of fever, escalating to dangerous numbers. The doctor and Alexander's closest companions were very worried, there was no way to lower his temperature and the young king had started to moan in his delirium.

Hephaestion, who was trying to sleep in his tiny room, could no longer stand the noises so he left the room by the side door and went to the kitchen. The old cook saw despair in the cyan eyes and asked him what he needed. Hephaestion told him that he needed the ice which she used to make the iced cream for the king's dessert. The old cook looked at him with surprise but then she clearly understood what he needed that for. With her help, they put the ice cubs in shallow trays and then took them back to the chamber.

He approached the bed and told the doctor to put the trays, covered with a piece of cloth under Alexander's neck, armpits and groin. The doctor smiled at his suggestion and asked the companions to help him. Meanwhile, Hephaestion wrapped some ice cubs with a piece of cloth and set them on his forehead, wrists and ankles. He sat by the king's side and rolled those wrappings every so often. The trays with new pieces of iced cubes came all night long but the fever did not lower as much as the doctor and Hephaestion wanted. The king was not out of danger yet and his delirious state seemed to get worse with every hour that went by.

His moans turned into unintelligible words, a stream of broken sentences due to the chattering of his teeth, however, this time a single sentence was clearly heard "Phaistion, love you" "Phaistion, love you". The slave blushed deeply and then looked at the old doctor who smiled and nodded at him.

The slave sat by Alexander's side and took one of the king's hands between his and tried to soothe him with the words of a song his mother used to sing to him when he was a child. The calm baritone voice calmed the agitated state of the king and miraculously, his fever was brought down and the king could breathe more calmly. The last words of the song died out and Hephaestion immediately left the king alone; his mind was confused but his heart was happy with that tiny advance towards the recovery.

The fever came and went during two days more but it was not as dangerous as the first day. The infection in some of the blisters started to disappear and so the king did no longer need to be strapped to the hard bed.

The doctor asked to set the old bed in its former place and with the help of his page and Cleitus, Alexander was moved to his own bed which was much more comfortable. A long sigh escaped the king's lips and then he opened his eyes and asked for his slave's wellbeing.

The doctor told him that Hephaestion's health was fine and that he was helping in the kitchen. Alexander found that idea a bit curious but he did not say a word; he still had to face Hephaestion and see how to rekindle their relationship.

Except for Eupolos and the doctor, no one else knew that Hephaestion slept by the king's side on a chair during the whole night to disappear into his room as soon as the page came to help Alexander with the bathroom. No one else knew that Hephaestion took care of the washing of the king's clothes or that he was the one who prepared all his meals.

The blisters were almost gone but the skin beneath them was rosy and very sensitive. Alexander was naked, sitting on the bed when Hephaestion entered the room without knocking because he supposed the king was still sleeping.

\- "I'm sorry, my king," Hephaestion said and was about to leave the room when Alexander asked him not to leave.

\- "Could you help me to dress? I cannot do it by myself" Alexander asked.

\- "Yes, my king, but do you think it is good for your healing skin to bear a cloth onto it?" Hephaestion asked while he rubbed the cotton cloth between his fingers.

\- "I know but the doctor does not allow me to wear any silk either and I want to get up and walk a bit" Alexander explained and his voice sounded like the one of a little child.

\- "Why don't you wear long pants and leave your chest bare? Maybe you can walk in your balcony but not in the sun and then a bit more along the halls when the rest of the palace is sleeping." Hephaestion suggested.

\- "All right"

Hephaestion helped Alexander to put on his pants, thanking the gods that he was wearing a loincloth. Alexander was about to put a hand on Hephaestion's shoulder to hold himself when he saw the young brunette tense and a cold shiver made his body shake. Alexander lowered his hand and thanked Hephaestion for his help. The slave looked at him with confusion in his eyes so the king told him he could go on dressing by himself.

Hephaestion started to tidy the room and saw how Alexander finished dressing with a lot of difficulty and wondered why he had said he could do it alone. He realized that the king must have seen his shaking and he wondered if the king would say something about their situation.

\- "Hephaestion, I wanted to thank you for looking after me during these last days," the king said looking at the man into his eyes.

\- "I don't know what you are talking about, my king. The good doctor and Eupolos looked after you, I did not do anything" he said without hesitation, knowing that he was lying and hiding the truth.

Alexander did not want to discuss with him so he nodded and after getting up, he walked towards the balcony to have a short stroll.

Alexander did not push Hephaestion at all, in fact, he gave him the freedom to do anything he liked and he no longer demanded him to wash and dress him. Hephaestion was a bit surprised at this new attitude but he did not say a thing. He was waiting for Alexander's coming back to his old routine but he did not do it.

Hephaestion felt the need to ask Alexander if he had changed his duties so the king told him that he was free to do whatever he wanted but he should be ready to come to him as soon as he was summoned. Hephaestion agreed and a new stage in their relationship began.


End file.
